Film Critic to the Culver City Observer and over 132 Publications Worldwide including: The Observer, Inc., John Schimmenti, Inc., CCN, Inc.,
Santa Monica Observer, Inc., Beacon-Times, Inc., Columbus-Register, Inc., and a Host of Others
HOLES
by
debbie lynn elias
Based on the award winning book by the same
name, "Holes" is a fun filled adventure guaranteed to entertain both
young and old alike. With a departure from the more intense, action adventure
and psychological thrillers for which he is best known, such as "A Perfect
Murder," "Collateral Source" and "The Fugitive," veteran
director Andrew Davis now brings this young adult "teen" adventure
story to the big screen with the same intensity and craftsmanship as his more
adult films, but with a new found lightness, levity, and fantasy.
For all you adults out there that haven't read Louis Sachar's novel, "Holes"
is the story of the palindromically named Stanley Yelnats, a good boy believed
to have gone tragically bad when he is falsely accused of stealing a baseball
star's sneakers. Not surprised by this tragic event, as Stanley has long since
accepted the repercussions of the ancient Yelnats family curse, he is shipped
off to a Texas detention center called Camp Green Lake (so what if there's no
lake and no green) for rehabilitation and to serve time as penalty for his "crime."
Under the direction of Warden Walker and her assistants, Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski,
in a character building exercise, the boys sent to Camp Green Lake are forced
to each dig a 5-foot deep hole on a daily basis. Despite the hot sun and hard
labor (hey, you try digging holes in a dry Texas desert!), Stanley does have
one bright spot, the friendships he establishes with the other boys in the camp
- Armpit, X-ray, Zero, Squid, Magnet and Zigzag.
While pondering their individual plights and the seeming insanity of digging
holes, second and third stories unfold which director Davis carefully weaves
into Stanley's tale. Flashing back to early 19th century Latvia, we meet up
with Stanley's great-great grandfather and learn of the beginnings of the Yelnats
family curse. Seems great gramps broke a promise to an old gypsy woman and as
well know from our childhood reading, gypsies love to put curses on families;
in this case, one for eternal failure and misery for the Yelnats clan. We also
get a little history lesson about Camp Green Lake and learn that some 150 years
ago it was green and there was a lake. There was also the infamous bandit Kissin'
Kate Barlow and events which resulted in an almost biblical retribution with
the lake drying up and the town dying.
Always the clever one, Stanley quickly realizes that the boys are not digging
holes to build character. There is something out there tied into Green Lake's
wild west history that the warden wants - and wants badly - and its up to Stanley
and his friends to find out what that is.
Never once "dumbed down", "Holes" - like "Harry Potter"
- truly treats its younger audience as adults thanks not only to director Davis,
but to an absolutely stellar cast. Sigourney Weaver as Warden Walker and Jon
Voight and Mr. Sir and Tim Blake Nelson as Pendanski, give bravura performances
with a dark comic edge. Catering to the minutest of detail and nuance to provide
full, well-rounded and intriguing characters, none is more effective than Voight.
With a spit and slick style, Voight oozes comic menace. And let's not forget
one of everyone's favorites, Henry Winkler, who gives an interesting comedic
turn as Stanley's father, a man obsessed with discovering the cure for foot
odor. And for all you "oldsters" out there, we've even got Eartha
Kitt - yes, the Eartha Kitt - as the old gypsy woman. She is simply purrrfeccttt.
And kudos to the younger stars of this film whose comradery and sense of adventure
and intrigue just leap from the screen, and none moreso than that between Shia
LaBeouf as Stanley and Khleo Thomas as Zero who truly focus on what it means
to be friends and the rigors of right and wrong.
Writer Louis Sachar remains faithful to his book with this script and does an
excellent job of character development and cleaning up some loose ends necessary
to the book, but not to the film, and throughout it all, retains the interesting
undercurrents and backstories which have endeared the book to so many readers.
Director Davis, capitalizing on his talent for strong visuals, follows through
on Sachar's story using the camera to fill in some of the holes created by the
story adaption. Creating an almost fanciful feel, Davis thanks in large part
to cinematographer Stephen St. John, seamlessly mixes the past and present storylines,
all the while keeping the integrity and continuity of the story flowing.
Kid's movie my foot! In the true Disney spirit, "Holes" is for the
young and old alike. Substantive, well told, well executed. There is something
here to satisfy the entire family - and that includes mine! See the movie. Read
the book. Then go see the movie again. You won't be sorry.
The Warden: Sigourney Weaver
Mr. Sir: Jon Voight
Kissin' Kate: Patricia Arquette
Stanley: Shia LaBeouf
Dr. Pendanski: Tim Blake Nelson
Zero: Khleo Thomas
Squid: Jake M. Smith
Armpit: Byron Cotton
X-Ray: Brenden
Jefferson Stanley's Father: Henry Winkler
Walt Disney Pictures presents a film directed by Andrew Davis. Written by Louis
Sachar (based on his novel). Running time: 111 minutes. Rated PG