Arcadia

The thin line separating childhood innocence and adulthood understanding
Olivia Silver cautiously expanded her prize winning short film `Little Canyon' into a meticulously crafted full length film, changed the name to ARCADIA , and found a fine cast to direct for this ensemble work. It is sensitively written, directed and acted and should become a cult film for those who love quiet meaningful dramas.

In a New England town Tom (John Hawkes, so brilliant as the quadriplegic virgin in `The Sessions') is gathering his three young children - Caroline (Kendall Toole) Greta (Ryan Simpkins0 and Nat (Ty Simpkins) - into his station wagon to move to California: he has been out of work for six months and landed a job in Arcadia, California. His wife is not joining them on the trip but Tom assures the children she will join them in California. Each of the three children must leave behind something important to them and each takes with them the hope that things will be better in California. Tom does not tell them truthfully why their mother is not with them...

On The Road Again: A Modestly Scaled Indie About The Journey Toward Familial Truths
Through the years, we've seen John Hawkes transform from one of our most reliable character actors into a bona fide leading man. Whether scary (Winter's Bone) or sympathetic (The Sessions), he is just so natural in front of the camera. There is no artifice, no grandstanding, he simply embodies each new character in a very organic way. His presence in Olivia Silver's tiny slice-of-life saga "Arcadia" was its primary selling point in my estimation. How "The Sessions" did not net him a Best Actor nod at the Oscars (he was amply rewarded elsewhere) is still one of last year's most perplexing oversights. "Arcadia" is simultaneously a coming-of-age tale, a familiar story of family dysfunction, and a road trip narrative. Hawkes and his two children are making a cross country journey to a land of new hopes and promises. Arcadia, California is painted as an idyllic destination that will bring prosperity and happiness to the clan. Although Hawkes is the headliner, it is through the eyes of...

Explosive Calmness
This family road movie is more about the journey than the destination. Filled with amazing actors and a subtly moving plot, 'Arcadia' is one step ahead of most independent films.

Tom (Academy Award nominated actor John Hawkes; "The Sessions", "Winter's Bone") plays the father who abruptly gathers his three children into an old station wagon to travel from New England to Arcadia, California.

Tom has a new job and Mom won't be joining them until later, adding to the mystery. Eldest sister, Caroline (Kendall Toole in a breakout performance) is joined by moody, middle daughter Greta (played with explosive calmness by Ryan Simpkins - ("Revolutionary Road" and "Surveillance", which gave her a Best Actress award at the NYC Film Festival - the first child to ever win). The youngest member of the family is Ty Simpkins ("Iron Man 3" and Ryan's real little brother).

The journey is full of Tom filling the time exalting an assortment of wild stories, assurances and...

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