Holes Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)April 19th, 2003
HOLES
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Stanley Yelnats IV (Shia LaBeouf) has already inherited a multi-generational family
curse when he gets sucked into another family legend when he's bonked off the head
by a famous athlete's shoes. Accused of stealing the sneakers, which had been donated
to a children's charity, Stanley's sent to Camp Green Lake, where Warden Walker
(Sigourney Weaver) and right hand man Mr. Sir (Jon Voight) tell their charges that
character will be built by heading into the hot desert daily to dig "Holes."
"Fugitive" director Andrew Davis, whose output since then has been lackluster ("Steal
Big, Steal Little," "Collateral Damage") begins a return to form with this stylish
children's adventure tale adapted by Louis Sacher from his hugely popular book.
Interweaving two different period pasts which collide in the present, Davis distinguishes
multiple characters within multiple story lines using nonlinear flashbacks without
losing the audience. The film's drawbacks may be attributable to the source material (which I have not read). The warden's evil nature has no true conviction
and the story's mixture of whimsy and dark drama don't blend well enough and resonate
to make it a true modern classic (like "The Phantom Tollbooth"). This is more a solidly
crafted entertainment.
Stanley's dad Stanley III (Henry Winkler, "The Waterboy"), who is about to have the family
evicted from their tiny apartment because of the pervading stench his research into curing
foot odor causes (note link to athlete's shoes), and his dad Stanley II (Nathan Davis)
regale Stanley with the tale of his pig-stealing great-great grandfather who incurred the
curse of Madame Zeroni (Eartha Kitt), made a fortune, then lost it in America to Kissin'
Kate Barlow (Patricia Arquette, "Little Nicky").
When Stanley arrives at camp, he learns that the Warden is in search of something, hence
the torturous hole digging. The Warden's history will be tied to Stanley's (nicknamed
Caveman by his nickname-intense crew mates) when he learns that the dry lake bed
wasn't always like this, which leads into the tale of schoolteacher Kathryn (Arquette)
who traded her famous spiced peaches for repairs by Sam (Dule Hill, "Men of Honor"),
a Black local onion grower. When they're spied kissing, the Warden's grandfather, who
owned the town and fancied Kathryn, reacts viciously. Sam's killed on his boat and Kathryn
begins the life of an outlaw in retaliation. Their onions and peaches union resonates
into the present.
The kids are all naturals, LaBeouf a good Everyman leader. Byron Cotton has a lot of
presence as the bossy Armpit while Brenden Jefferson's goggled X-Ray is the group's wheeler-
dealer, a pubescent King Rat in the making. The group's rounded out by Jake M. Smith as
Squid, Miguel Castro as Magnet and Max Kasch as Zig-Zag. The most endearing member is
tiny Khleo Thomas ("Friday After Next") as Zero, the group's fastest hole digger whose
past is also entwined with Stanley's. Voight is a hammy hoot as Mr. Sir, obsessed with
shooting lethal yellow-spotted lizards - the man's got a knack for overacting with reptiles.
Tim Blake Nelson ("The Good Girl") is the nerdy Mr. Pendanski, who actually believes he's
working towards rehabilitating his charges. Weaver gets a lot of mileage out of her tag
line with various intonations of "Scuse me?" delivering decidedly different messages, but
we never get a sense that's she's truly evil, which would have added some extra zing to
the film. This film's bad guy is ruthlessly goal-oriented, but a bit of a victim herself.
Winkler adds quirkiness as the daffy inventor and is well supported by SNL's Siobhan Fallon
as his accepting wife.
Camera operator Stephen St. John ("Collateral Damage") steps up to cinematographer with
"Holes" and delivers with inventive camera moves. The film has a vibrant look which director
Davis tweaks to include magical night skies.
"Holes" is an odd little film that explores the past's links to the present and the virtues
of loyalty and determination.
B-
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