3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Institutional politics and a shattered dream, March 3, 2009
This review is from: Choose Connor (DVD)
15-year-old Owen, an academic, friendless (yet oddly-confident) young male, is excited to meet Congressman Lawrence Connor at the former's middle-school graduation. Owen grabs the Congressman's attention with his grasp of current affairs, and is asked to become the 'youth spokesman' for the Congressman's campaign for Senator. This is a dream-come-true for Owen, since he has imagined a political future for himself. He quickly becomes immersed into the spectacle of sound-bites and empty imagery, but is seduced by the attention, media appearances and high-flying parties with politicians.
Meanwhile, Owen is developing a close friendship with the Congressman's attractive, privileged nephew, Caleb - who, two years older than Owen, is sensual and worldly-wise in a way that Owen has never been. Despite Caleb's hints that Owen's new world is nothing like it seems, Owen is blinded by the sparkle of institutional power - and is headed for an abrupt fall.
'Choose Connor' is concerned with illuminating the self-serving malevolence of politicians, through the eyes of a naïve young male. Writer/Director Luke Eberle does an accomplished and professional job with this age-old theme, and in the process flirts with some important messages (the system will always protect itself; the need to make symbolic sacrifices) that always deserve an airing. The problem is that the efficacy is wholly undermined by the *vehicle* which he deploys to illustrate Owen's 'awakening': sex, a tired cliché, which is more a sop to popular cultural delectation than anything authentic or subversive. The story of the "Emperor's New Clothes" is a timeless theme; sex as a negative force existing outside of politics itself is a empty one. Paradoxically, therefore, the film ends up by *conforming* to the very institutionalized power relations that Eberle was concerned to undermine; as a consequence, 'Choose Connor' will quickly fade from memory.
The cast generally do well with the material available to them - in particular, Steven Weber is excellent as the consummate, self-aggrandizing, politician; experienced Alex D. Linz (Owen) and relative newcomer Escher Holloway (Caleb), turn in strong performances, despite the one-dimensionality of their characters. Watch 'Choose Connor' for an evening's entertainment - just don't expect anything seminal.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
This is a delightful film., January 22, 2012
I am surprised that this movie does not have more reviews. I found it quite enjoyable. The young lead actor is quite good, as are the actors who played the slimy congressman and his complicated nephew. The movie portrays innocence lost. A young man who is a high achiever and who has faith in the nation's political system learns that many inside the system are absolutely corrupt and that they shield each other from exposure. The young boy's journey was realistic in many ways -- aside from his oblivious parents.
A WORD OF CAUTION: Please ignore the reviewer who says this movie is perverse and that it is about sexual slavery. That person is wildly mistaken and not that intelligent. In fact, he or she isn't intelligent at all. The movie is obviously too deep for that person to understand or appreciate. Please do not allow that terrible review to keep you from watching this captivating independent and low-budget film.
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0 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
I hated this movie, January 20, 2009
This review is from: Choose Connor (DVD)
I hated this movie. It was horribly perverted and left me feeling victimized. This was not a responsible way to handle the subject of child prostitution or slavery.
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