The Movie
It's always a head-scratcher when grand-slam casts can't rise above mediocre material to make a movie more memorable than the script. And while I wouldn't classify everyone in Lake City as a top-tier thespian, there are still enough notable names in the cast to keep your expectations high. Sissy Spacek and Keith Carradine are more than enough to maintain your interest, but the film--which had a very limited theatrical run in 2008 after playing a few festivals--is ultimately a missed opportunity more at home on the Lifetime Movie Network.

Troy Garity (perhaps best know for his Barbershop performances) is Billy, who's in a predicament when we first meet him: tied up and at the mercy of angry Red (singer Dave Matthews, who aims for more respect by going as "David" here). The small-time drug dealer wants to know the whereabouts of Billy's girlfriend Hope, who has skipped town with a big supply of powder. After manhandling his way free, Billy grabs Hope's young son Clayton (Colin Ford) and escapes to the small town of his childhood.

His sudden appearance surprises mom Maggie (Spacek), a woman who lives her life in fear of change--and hasn't heard from Billy in more than a year. Something from the past has torn the two apart, and Maggie's attachment to Clayton (along with some flashbacks) makes it pretty obvious what's going on. Meanwhile, as Billy tries to keep a low profile he runs into Jennifer (Rebecca Romijn), a childhood friend who is now a police officer. The two clearly have feelings for each other, but something's holding them back. The same can be said for Maggie and town mechanic Roy (Carradine), who also starts to show a fatherly interest in Billy.

As everyone tries to work out their issues, hurricane Hope (Drea de Matteo, who overacts in her few minutes on screen) arrives to shake things up halfway through. She comes to reclaim Clayton, setting the wheels in motion for the film's final act--where the danger of Red's big-time bosses threaten the family.

The biggest problem with Lake City is the severe telegraphing of every supposed "twist". You're always three steps ahead of the script, penned by first-timers Hunter Hill and Perry Moore (who also co-directed). Nothing comes as a surprise (and the film aims for many), making the super-slow pace even more agonizing at times. Everything here is obvious, including a few plot revelations--and the familial roles that the lonely characters start to provide for each other.

And just when the film starts to hit you on a deeper level with its themes of forgiveness, letting go and living, the highly unnecessary action arrives to spoil the moment. Lake City isn't a thriller, but it thinks it has to be--primarily for marketing purposes made clear on the DVD box ("Nail-biting suspense!" proclaims The Hollywood Reporter; "92 minutes of marvelous mayhem!" raves Bobby Cramer of Films in Review).

The film shoots itself in the foot with its forced tension, which interrupts heartfelt exchanges between characters: Garity and Spacek have a beautiful moment toward the end where they both shine (in a scene reminiscent of a crucial moment from Rachel Getting Married, but with one key difference), while Romijn and Carradine (whose story arcs aren't given enough time) also play well off Garity. But the potential of each character and the story is never realized. The filmmakers use the growing cloud of danger--and not the far-more-interesting actors--to propel the plot forward.

And when Lake City gets all tough on us, it fails miserably as its flaws rise to the surface. Try as he might, Matthews just can't instill fear, and the concluding cornfield standoff proves the directors can't choreograph chases nearly as well as emotions--including one head-scratching move by the supposedly smart Maggie. And while Spacek is as awesome as always (she can do no wrong), the screenplay does Maggie no justice--she demands almost no answers when Billy arrives, which struck me as odd and stayed with me throughout the film.

Maggie is also never given a meaty scene with Roy, leaving me unsatisfied--just like Lake City will leave you. So much is left unsaid and unexplored with the four lead characters, all of whom show promise and heart (Garity shows he's got the chops when given the chance)--but the film abandons them in favor of unnecessary action.

The DVD

Video:
The disc provided for the review was a screener, so the anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer may not represent final product. This is a very dim picture that tries to place you into a small town during the fall, with accompanying autumn shades. It isn't a very sharp, and some minor film specs briefly intrude.

Audio:
The 5.1 track is equally underwhelming--very little is done to take advantage of rear channels. I could mostly make out the dialogue (although one of the final exchanges was tough to decipher), but a lot of it felt isolated and distant, not melding seamlessly with the picture. Spanish subtitles are available.

Extras:
Nothing but the film's trailer was included on this screener disc.

Final Thoughts:
A great cast turns in solid work but can't rise above the misguided Lake City, which severely telegraphs its twists and intentions--and reverts to unnecessary action at the end. There's a better movie aching to get out, and some of the scenes are emotionally powerful. But the promise isn't met and the performers are underused, making the film a better fit for the Lifetime Movie Network--a real shame given the pedigree of the cast. Rent It.