Taking a break from his streak of raunchy comedies, David Gordon Green’s next film is a small indie that attempts to showcase his more mature and subtle side. A remake of the Icelandic film Either Way, Green’s character driven dramedy is titled Prince Avalanche and stars Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch as two highway road workers, Alvin and Lance, who spend their work days painting traffic lines and hammering down traffic reflector polls on a highway whose surrounding Texas area has been desolated by wildfires.
Alvin is out working this job to support the girlfriend, Madison, who he loves so much yet spends little time with her. As a favor to Madison, Alvin hires her stereotypical 1980s bro-like brother Lance to make her happy and to help him on the road. Besides being guys, the two aren’t exactly similar and leads to a variety of dry, yet very comical, exchanges. Alvin is learning German for a trip he wants to take Madison on while enjoying the solitude of nature while Lance just wants to focus on getting laid and enjoying his youth as man whore.
Prince Avalanche is a film unlike any that David Gordon Green has directed in the past five years and is on the opposite end of the spectrum from any that I’ve personally seen. It’s an isolated, peaceful film that shows a ton of restraint and patience, focusing on the simplicity of life, relationships and the natural beauty (or destruction) of Texas. In fact, Prince Avalanche isn’t a film about much of anything nor does anything really happen. It’s a movie about two very different guys working a solitary job while sharing their stories and desires with each other to help pass the time. Eventually you know there will be a relationship jarring moment based on their initially indirect resentment for each other (though it might just be one way), but they call each other out on their flaws and the resentment is followed-up by an alcohol induced bonding scene. You could see that moment coming from a mile away since you can’t stay mad at the person you share a tent with forever.
What’s refreshing about Prince Avalanche is that Paul Rudd doesn’t play the exact same character that we are used to seeing him play. Yes he might have relationship issues like in plenty of his films but in this movie he plays a more (seemingly) intelligent individual versus the odd ball loser, if you will, making for a nice c
hange of pace. He does a great job of balancing his humor with the very serious side of his character.
The standout for me in this film was Emile Hirsh. This role was perfect for him and I’ve been anxiously waiting to see him in a role outside of Into the Wild that would elevate him to his full potential in both a dramatic and comedic sense. I think this character worked for him because he’s originally from California and this role reminded me of a California surfer bro which he may or may not be able to relate to. On a comedic level he was able to go toe to toe with Rudd and, due to the nature of Lance’s personality, he was able to surpass him.
I know I’m in the minority when it comes to liking the film but for me I found that it had an odd charm to it. Even if the characters weren’t exactly the most charismatic, the sum of all the film’s parts made it so. I’ll agree that the film can be very boring, particularly since nothing happens, but despite the long drawn out scenery shots and the mundane jobs the leads hold, I thoroughly enjoyed its simplicity and the fun bantering that occurred between the various characters in the film and the way the story of two average and accent-less Texans unfolded.
Rating: It might seem like a movie about nothing, but this mundane dramedy gets as close to reality as a movie can get which helps give it its unlikely charm (6.7/10)
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