Tuscaloosa

Beautifully shot and handsomely textured. Have to agree with a previous review that the score has notes of someone familiar with the music industry. Well done!

Set in the deep South and in the age of coloureds and whites, this one fails to hit the mark. Rambling take tar doesn't have much to say about the racial politics or about the romantic pairing of a damaged girl on a farm and the son of the owner of the hospital.

Several minutes into the film, Billy's dad, Doctor Mitchell (also the Manager of the mental institution), discusses with Billy about his future career prospects and "job opportunities" at the town paper, since he is now a college graduate. After this, Billy meets Virginia (Nancy Wheeler of Stranger Things), a resident of the facility; though she truly isn't as "crazy" as one would think her to be. However, her mental struggles are shown a couple of obvious times. Minutes into the film Billy helps Virginia to zip up her yellow dress from the back as he leans over the front porch. In the next scene he's wearing a yellow striped shirt. He also wears yellow further into the film. A note of interest for this color is that the lawnmower he rides is also yellow, as is Nigel's dad's or Nigel's El Dorado. I'm sure that these are all meant to portray freedom for the respective characters. Billy is content with spending time with Virginia and his childhood friend Nigel, who has concerns not only about the Vietnam War but also his own role regarding the Civil Rights Movement. He questions Billy's present-day friendship with him, as Nigel knows they aren't really friends anymore and just acquaintances. Billy buys for Virginia a white mid-thigh long-sleeved dress among both a blue checkered and a yellow striped dress displayed in the window. This symbolizes the simplicity of clothing that's worn in a mental institution, though also allows for Virginia's colorful personality to be displayed. She does, however, near the beginning, wear a blue dress as well when first formally meeting Billy in the institution as she walks down the main staircase that's behind the check-in desk. Later, Nigel - upon contemplating what a friend had told him early on - tells Billy that he's either "part of the problem or part of the solution". Billy's stance on this is left unknown, despite his continual hanging around Nigel's Bar-B-Que Stand. The police even chase one of Nigel's friends whose trying to evade them on a yellow motorcycle; yellow being a color-theme in the film. Billy doesn't agree with his father Doctor Mitchell regarding the Civil Rights movement so as to side with his childhood friend on the Civil Right's issues, just minimally-so. Billy becomes as "crazy" for Virginia as she declares to Billy his feelings for her, as Doctor Mitchell does in telling his son that she's "very unstable" (crazy). She even declares to Billy around ten minutes into the film - with certainty - that "I'm not crazy". Virginia is held at the institute against her will since there are motives for Doctor Mitchell doing this and is also explained. Tuscaloosa's landscape visuals are picturesque and the soundtrack is audibly vivid as to represent this poignant era of 1972 western Alabama.

Race, class, privilege, and war are all tackled in a visually stunning film. The director's experience in the music business shows in the soundtrack too.

Philip Harder shows a growing talent in directing and cinematography. We especially enjoyed Devon Bostick's compelling performance in this steamy southern pot boiler.

Set in the deep South and in the age of coloureds and whites, this one fails to hit the mark. Rambling take tar doesn't have much to say about the racial politics or about the romantic pairing of a damaged girl on a farm and the son of the owner of the hospital.