Young Adam

You would think that Ewan McGregor would really help a movie out. Sadly, with Young Adam, that's not true. My friend Eden and I had been thinking about seeing this for a long time, but we weren't crazy about going to the theatre to see and NC-17 film. Blockbuster always offers those R-rated versions on DVD, so the other night we decided to go for it. It can't be that bad, right? I mean, there's probably an objectionable scene or two, and I'm sure the acting will make it worthwhile. It's Ewan McGregor. Tilda Swinton. Turns out there are seven or eight of those "objectionable scenes," maybe more, and they make you shake your head and say, "Those poor, pitiful people." There is no opportunity in this movie for acting, not from Ewan or Tilda or anyone else. It's just failed suspense, a lack of character development, and a really boring plot. Two barge workers pull a dead body from the river. One of them (Ewan) has an affair with the other's wife. Flashbacks tell the story of the dead woman. There is a trial, Ewan has a few more encounters with various women, and then he throws away his typewriter. The end. Ta-daa. We all know that Ewan's capable of more than this. Maybe he's retaliating against his Star Wars days. Or maybe he's just lost his mind and is now into making only crap movies.