THE RIVER (15)
D: Mark Rydell
Universal (Edward Lewis)
US 1984
122 mins
Drama
W: Robert Dillon & Julian Barry
DP: Vilmos Zsigmond
Ed: Sidney Levin
Mus: John Williams
PD: Charles Rosen
Mel Gibson (Tom Garvey), Sissy
Spacek (Mae Garvey), Shane Bailey (Lewis Garvey), Becky Jo Lynch (Beth Garvey), Scott Glenn (Joe Wade), Billy Green Bush (Harve Stanley)
Old-fashioned rural drama about a family battling flood
waters to save their farm.
It's very well made, with excellent cinematography,
production design, convincing direction and strong performances, but it's the type of story you'd expect from 1948 rather than 1984.
As good as it's production values are, it doesn't quite
engage as much as it could have.
6/10