| Un-Disney Film |
28 April 2003
|
Dig "Holes" The Movie
When put side-by-side, the words "Disney" and "movie" conjure up a formula film that can be glorious, e.g., The Lion King or wretchedly saccharine-sweet, e.gBeauty and the Beast. The new cinematic offering from Disney, Holes, breaks new ground in largely avoiding the traps of the Disney formula, while still sticking to it.
Perhaps the first clue that this film is something different for Disney is the casting of Sigourney Weaver and John Voight as bad-guys. Mr. Voight's talents as an actor speak for themselves, or rather, his friend Oscar does (Best Actor for Coming Home). Ms. Weaver is best known for her work in the Alien series as well as The Year of Living Dangerously -- a talented actress and a beautiful woman to whom the years have been extraordinary in their kindness. Throw in a small part by Henry Winkler (who has aged enough not to be Fonzie), and it is clear that the Disney folks have brought the heavy artillery.
As for the young cast, their faces may or may not be familiar, but they are asked to play kids in a juvenile prison forced to dig holes in the desert "to build character" as well as for a more mercenary purpose. Having adolescents act out the futility and arbitrariness of the adult world requires no visit to Lee Strassburg. The characters are Disney stock, the quiet kid, the bully, etc. Yet the performaces, especially Shia Le Beouf in the lead role of Stanley Yelnats, and Khleo Thomas as Zero, are credible.
The hero of the story is the story itself and its telling. Louis Sachar wrote a marvellous book and followed it with a fine screenplay. The jumps in time, place and tone violate most of Disney's linear storytelling rules, and the subject of inter-racial romance and bigotry are written with understatement and charm.
Of course, there are holes in the film beyond the title and the desert. Yet for corporate entertainment, it represents a shred of hope that, perhaps, in the margins, there is good work yet to be done.