IODINE (Michael Stasko) Rating: NNN
The Toronto Underground Cinema may be the perfect launching pad for Iodine. Given the right spin, it’s a cult movie in the making.
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Shot in and around Parry Sound, Michael Stasko’s cerebral drama stars the writer/director as John, a troubled young man who treks up to his family’s cottage to look for his missing father.
There John finds an avuncular fellow (Ray Wise) who says he’s been working with John’s dad on a physics project. The details are vague – something to do with molecular cohesion – but it might explain why his father has, for all intents and purposes, disappeared. Or it might be something else. And why is John getting those crippling headaches?
Iodine has some rough edges. The low budget means a lot of territory has to be covered in dialogue, which leads to some awkward expository conversations, and Broken Social Scene’s Jason Collett turns up in a goofy scene for no particular reason.
But Stasko creates lots of mood, and gives himself some fine scenes with Wise. The two actors have excellent rapport, and as a director Stasko makes the most of Wise’s slippery screen presence and facility with long speeches.
The movie may not break any new ground, but I’m curious to see what Stasko does next.
Screens Friday (June 18) and Wednesday (June 23) at the Toronto Underground Cinema. See listings.
