Abilene . Austin Chronicle . 03-29-99

Abilene

DIRECTED BY: Joe Camp III

REVIEWED: 03-29-99

Sometimes, when people say that a movie is strong on characterization, they also mean that its plot moves along at less than lightning speed. In the case of Abilene, the plot moves at about the same speed as the tractor that aging, peppery Hotis (Ernest Borgnine) uses to visit his dying, estranged, jackass of a brother who lives 100 miles away, and since it takes Hotis three days to arrive there, Abilene is pretty slow going. Which is not to say that the journey isn't worth it: Abilene isn't really about Abilene at all, but about some semblance of a village near Abilene whose inhabitants depend on one another's company just to make it through their days there. The actors take advantage of this gorgeously filmed setting to craft performances that are subtly interwoven and distinct. Now, as any of the characters in Abilene might say, if we could just light a match under this thing we might could make it hop-to.

--Clay Smith

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