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Actor Bill Paxton (Apollo 13, Twister) is making his feature film producing
debut with Traveller, an extremely likable little film in which he also stars.
Although it's not the type of film that will stick with you very long
afterwards in a really visceral way, sitting there watching it is a pleasure,
just because it's simple, straight forward, and, well, sincere. And it
certainly doesn't hurt that it's uniformly well-acted.
Travellers are a clan of Irish grifters who make their livelihood by moving from town to town (in this case, the rural South) conning everyone they meet. Of course, what they're doing is criminal, but you can't get too upset by it because of the small scale and the folksy cleverness of their methods. And you certainly can't get upset when Bokky (Mr. Paxton) does it, given his formidable good looks, charm, and lethal combination of ruggedness and vulnerability. When young Pat O'Hara (Mark Wahlberg) returns to the clan for his father's funeral (his father was a former Traveller but cast out for marrying an outsider), he is rejected by the Travellers' chief, Boss Jack (Luke Askew). But Bokky takes the young boy under his wing and a father/son and mentor/protégé relationship are instantly formed. A nomadic life of petty crime suits both of them perfectly, but it is only a matter of time before Jean (Julianna Margulies), an earthy but sexy bartender and single mother, unexpectedly pops up on the horizon, setting off all of Bokky's long-repressed yearnings for romance and a conventional life. Can you guess which life-style he chooses? |
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A decent script by Jim McGlynn and simple, clean direction by first-time
director Jack Green (primarily known as the cinematographer for Twister and
over eight Clint Eastwood films) contribute to Traveller's effectiveness. But
it's the all-around good acting that really makes the picture work. Mr.
Paxton's performance -- by turns tough, charming, sexy and touching -- gives the
film its firm foundation. But one should not for an instant underestimate Mr.
Wahlberg's contribution. His is a fine, quietly edgy performance. Julianna
Margulies is likewise very good, although the script doesn't quite allow her
the range and subtlety she regularly displays on T.V.'s ER. James Gammon is
also quite good as an independent con man who teams up with Bokky for the
film's final scam.
Curiously enough, Traveller, which proceeds for most of its running time in a surprisingly gentle mode, climaxes in a sequence of sudden and extreme violence reminiscent of Straw Dogs. And I'm not entirely sure that this drastic, 11th-hour shift in tone is indicated or convincing. Still, Traveller is a modest, thoroughly enjoyable movie, and given the current Hollywood climate, I salute Mr. Paxton's hard-working efforts as a producer in getting it to see the light of day. |
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