Film Review: ‘Angels Crest’ Takes Lead-Footed Trip Down Misery Lane

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CHICAGO – Six years after her sentimental debut feature, “On a Clear Day,” filmmaker Gaby Dellal has gotten mired in the wintry sludge of her sophomore effort, “Angels Crest.” This is the sort of film that doesn’t stand a chance of being embraced by many viewers, particularly during an awards season crowded with gems. There’s little to recommend here beyond the icily beautiful cinematography and a few strong performances.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

What starts out as an intriguing mystery reminiscent of “Twin Peaks” quickly unravels into a familiar trudge through bleak lives and bad parenting. It’s set in the isolation of a working-class mountain town haunted by drunken souls who mope about while making bone-headed decisions. The ending fails to leave an impact because it’s no less dreary and inevitable than anything that precedes it. This isn’t a story about transformation and discovery, but rather the acceptance of one’s own demise.

Read Matt Fagerholm’s full review of “Angels Crest” in our reviews section.

One of the few redeeming elements in the picture is the central performance by Thomas Dekker, whose intense characterizations have made an indelible impression in films such as Gregg Araki’s “Kaboom” and Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s HBO production, “Cinema Verite.” In “Crest,” Dekker is required to go through the emotional wringer as his guilt-ridden character skirts on the edge of sanity. His work isn’t enough to redeem the picture, but it does further solidify his status as one of the most promising actors of his generation. The film is at its most compelling whenever Dekker is onscreen, but since the script follows in the footsteps of its source material (Leslie Schwartz’s 2004 novel of the same name), “Crest” becomes overstuffed with extraneous subplots. The 93-minute running time reduces several supporting roles to glib caricatures, especially in the case of a prosecutor (Jeremy Piven) whose tragic past is conveyed through artless exposition. This marks the second Magnolia release this year that features Piven in a role that doesn’t utilize an ounce of his potential, while ending on the exact same note of gloomy pointlessness. Yet for all of its faults, “Crest” is nowhere near as maddeningly abysmal as “I Melt With You.”

Continue reading for Matt Fagerholm’s full “Angels Crest” review.

Thomas Dekker stars in Gaby Dellal’s Angels Crest.
Photo credit: Magnolia Pictures