Rudderless

William H. Macy’s directorial debut Rudderless, was one of the mostly hotly received features of the Sundance Film Festival in January. 

After the sudden tragic death of his son, Sam (Billy Crudup) has descended into living the life of a recluse. But when he discovers a box of his late son’s demo tapes and lyrics, the grief stricken father gathers the courage to learn the songs and play them in a local bar. Another musician, Quentin (Anton Yelchin), soon spots him and an unlikely musical partnership is formed. 

William H. Macy’s progression to directing is exciting in itself. As an actor he has brought pointed intelligence and comic subtlety to a host of extraordinary characters (most notably in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia and Boogie Nights) and so we expect nothing less from his debut feature. And critics have praised the film’s idiosyncrasy, suggesting that the seemingly frothy framework (on a superficial level Rudderless is a feel good rock musical) is consistently undercut with biting, unsentimental drama.  Macy’s cast is an eclectic mix: from sugary, Disney favourite Selena Gomez (Hanna Montana) to veteran Laurence Fishburne (The Matrix, Apocalypse Now) to the comically gifted Jamie Chung (The Hangover Part II). And with stand out performances from Crudup (Almost Famous) and Yelchin (Like Crazy) this movie will be packed with both enticing dramatic subtleties and humorous comic finesse.

Rudderless closed the Sundance Film Festival and was met with a standing ovation. With original songs by Simon Steadman and Charlton Pettus, it’s a movie that can be enjoyed as much for its musical flair and entertainment value as the poignancy of the narrative itself. Rudderless promises to be a perfect feel good summer flick, whose subject matter and performances ensure it won't err on the side of cheesy.