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Film Search
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Land Ho!
Adventure, Comedy
Few films in any given Sundance Film Festival inspire me to think unreservedly, “Now that was a movie my parents would love.” That’s not to diminish the charms in Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz’s amiable comedy about two men who used to be brothers-in-law—Colin (Paul Eenhorn), widowed from the sister of Mitch’s (Earl Lynn Nelson) ex-wife—who head off together for a vacation to Iceland while both are facing major life changes. It’s a refreshing twist to see the “mismatched buddy” genre given such a light touch; the personality clashes between boisterous Louisianan Mitch and mild-mannered Australian Colin rarely degenerate into anything more profound than brief bouts of mutual frustration. And there’s a charmingly off-hand dynamic between the two that suggests the long history between them. Yet it’s also just a bit too shapeless and dependent on the idea that it would be kind of adorable to imagine one of the Coogan/Brydon Trip films once they’re retirees. The scenery is lovely, the performances are pleasant, and it’s the kind of movie it’s hard to imagine anyone walking out of. It’s nice. Yeah: It’s nice.
Director: Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens
Producer: Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy, Christina Jennings, David Green, Julie Benello, Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous and Wendy Ettinger
Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Nelson, Karrie Crouse, Elizabeth McKee, Alice Clarke and Emmsjé Gauti
Producer: Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy, Christina Jennings, David Green, Julie Benello, Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous and Wendy Ettinger
Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Nelson, Karrie Crouse, Elizabeth McKee, Alice Clarke and Emmsjé Gauti
