FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT YET SEEN LORELEI, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.

Lost in the Reel’s Video Review for Lorelei + Interview with Jena Malone

I’d like to start off this review by saying that Lorelei will not be for everyone.  It is a slow-burn family drama that at times can teeter on the edge of melodrama.  But, for anyone who enjoys films that are a slice-of-life; that are powered by deeply felt performances in a powerful fable-like story… this movie is most certainly for you.  And I must say that I was completely entranced by every second of it.

WHAT IS LORELEI ALL ABOUT?

  • JENA MALONE and PABLO SCHREIBER in Lorelei. Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment.

The film follows Wayland who has been in prison for 15 years for armed robbery.  Upon his release, he returns to his blue-collar hometown and inadvertently reconnects with his high school sweetheart Dolores, now a single mother struggling to support her three kids.  Soon after their reunion, Wayland moves in with the chaotic family and becomes a reluctant yet much-needed father figure.  But, soon he begins to be drawn back to his old ways as Dolores yearns for her pre-motherhood dream of moving to Los Angeles.

HOW IS WRITER/DIRECTOR SABRINA DOYLE’S WORK?

  • JENA MALONE in Lorelei. Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment.

First-time feature writer/director Sabrina Doyle has skillfully crafted a screenplay that is at once grounded in reality and also full of whimsy and fantasy.  It is also small in its scope, but feels epic in the way that you feel fully immersed in these people’s lives.  What Doyle brings to the table here, among many other things, is a bounty of pleasant surprises.  And this is what excites me about seeing films from first-time feature directors.  Lorelei subverts your expectations at every turn.  The moment you think you know what will happen, or how a character will react to something… Doyle spins those preconceptions on their head.  

And not only has she shown a deft hand at writing a refreshing screenplay, the director also proves that she has an incredible eye.  This is a gorgeously shot film that captures blue-collar life in all of its grittiness, despair and homespun glory.  I also must point out the score from Jeff Russo, who is the composer of The Umbrella Academy and the Fargo television series… the music here really paired so well with the imagery in the movie, to create a fantasy-like atmosphere.

HOW ARE PABLO SCHREIBER AND JENA MALONE’S PERFORMANCES?

  • PABLO SCHREIBER in Lorelei. Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment.

And of course, we have to talk about the performances… because they are absolutely jaw-dropping across the board.  Pablo Schreiber, who is most well-known as Pornstache in Orange is the New Black, gives such a tender and thoughtful performance.  Though his hulk-like stature is intimidating, he is a giant with a heart of gold.  Jena Malone is also a powerhouse in this role who seems to be in absolute control of her craft here… and this character could have gone off the deep end, in so many ways.  Dolores is an extremely flawed woman, who probably should have never been a mother in the first place… but, along with the exasperation, Malone gives this character determination and grit, as well.

AND THEIR CHEMISTRY?

  • JENA MALONE and PABLO SCHREIBER in Lorelei. Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment.

Schreiber and Malone’s chemistry also explodes off of the screen.  It truly feels as if these two have a long and drawn out history.  The way in which they look into each other’s eyes, you can see the yearning they have for one another, but also a deep understanding.  The fantastic thing about this movie is that every character, no matter how big or small… feel completely lived-in.  As if they all have a history with one another in some way, and there is not a second you do not believe that.

HOW ARE THE CHILD ACTORS IN THE FILM?

  • (L to R) PARKER PASCOE-SHEPPARD, JENA MALONE, AMELIA BORGERDING and CHANCELLOR PERRY in Lorelei. Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment.

And the three child actors in this movie, played by Chancellor Perry, Parker Pascoe-Sheppard and Amelia Borgerding, absolutely blew me out of the water.  I was so worried that this movie was going to become a Cheaper by the Dozen-like-situation and devolve into stereotypes and clichés for these kids.  But, all three of them get their own observative story-arc and their time to shine.  The movie never feels cloying or saccharine-sweet, and that is all because of these wonderful performances and the assured writing. 

CAN LORELEI BE COMPARED TO ANY OTHER FILM?

  • JENA MALONE in Lorelei. Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment.

A lot of people are going to be comparing this film to the Apple TV+ Justin Timberlake-led Palmer.  And even though I quite liked that movie and they do have many similarities, Lorelei has so much more to provide and it is a far superior piece of art.  I do think that the film is a tad too long.  Even though it does give the film an epic-like feel that I appreciated… I can see many viewers growing tired because of its slow-burn approach.  There are also moments of melodrama that could have been reined in for a bit more balance.  

But, these are very small issues in a film; that by the end had given me chills on multiple occasions and filled my heart with sadness, melancholy and joy, all at the same time.  And that’s what a film experience is all about, if you ask me.  

Official Trailer for Lorelei.

Lorelei is In Select Theaters and Streaming on VOD Friday, July 30th.

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