THE GO-GETTER (Martin Hynes). 93 minutes. Opens Friday (June 6). For venues and times, see Movies, page 96. Rating: N
The Go-Getter is one of those Sundance pics that give the indie film fest a bad name. You know: mumbled, self-conscious dialogue, hazy, poetic imagery and hipster cool soundtrack.
Lou Taylor Pucci plays Mercer, an introverted Oregon high school kid who’s grieving his mom’s recent death. After stealing a vehicle from a car wash, he tries to track down his half-brother, Arlen (Jsu Garcia), to tell him the news.
The stolen car belongs to Kate (Zooey Deschanel), a stranger who’s left behind her cellphone and starts up a series of soulful chats with Mercer during his road trip of discovery.Between his treks to a hippie commune, an underground porn operation and a detour in Reno, the phone buddies discover a spiritual connection that might lead to a physical one as well.
Writer/director Martin Hynes adds nothing new to the overtrod road trip movie formula. Pucci’s Mercer is so recessive, we don’t care what he’s thinking or feeling, and quirky Deschanel doesn’t actually appear onscreen until we’ve given up on the premise.
Judy Greer, Bill Duke and Maura Tierney add a few sparks from the sidelines, but the most memorable element is M. Ward’s soundtrack, which evokes the spirit of love and the open road far more honestly than the script.
