Committed

Plot

Heather Graham stars in this indie exploration of love and marital commitment directed by Lisa Krueger. A hardcore believer in the sanctity of marriage, plucky Joline (Graham) is stunned when her husband Carl (Luke Wilson) abruptly dumps her, leaving only a vaguely-worded note to explain himself. Undaunted, Joline leaves New York to look for her man and discovers him in the wild west of El Paso, Texas, after meeting a bevy of ne'er-do-wells and weirdos along the way. She discovers that Carl is shacked up with a beautiful Hispanic woman named Carmen (Patricia Velasquez). Meanwhile, Joline's flirtatious brother Jay (Casey Affleck) shows up from the Big Apple to look after his sister. Later, two men enter Joline's life. One is Neil (Goran Visnjic), Carl's hunky, beguiling neighbor, who increasingly becomes the object of Joline's affection, and Grampy (Alfonso Arau), an aging Mexican medicine man who becomes Joline's spiritual guide. This film was screened at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Review

Lisa Krueger's Committed is an irksome film that mistakes self-righteousness for probity. Heather Graham's Joline is so committed to her marriage vows that she follows her deadbeat husband, Carl (Luke Wilson), from New York to Texas in order to win him back. Carl, a depressed, adulterous, and selfish photojournalist is in an "emotional wheelchair" according to Joline and it is up to her to stick by him through this rough spot. Unlike the rest of the world, Joline believes in the sanctity of marriage. Joline is good. Joline is great. And throughout the 90-odd minutes of this offensive film, no one bothers to ask Joline how her beliefs apply to spousal or child abuse -- or what she would do if her husband's "emotional wheelchair" turned into alcoholism and cigarette burns. After she is literally committed to a mental ward for breaking into Carl's new house, the misunderstood Joline realizes that her values are just too pure for the society that she must learn to embrace. She leaves Carl, returns to New York, refocuses her integrity and tenacity on freeing Tibet and learning a martial art -- and takes a brave leap of faith into the depraved real world. Aren't we lucky. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi

Cast

• Heather Graham - Joline
• Casey Affleck - Jay
• Luke Wilson - Carl
• Goran Visnjic - Jay
• Patricia Velasquez - Carmen

Alfonso Arau - Grampy; Mark Ruffalo - T-Bo; Kim Dickens - Jenny; Clea Duvall - Mimi; Mary Kay Place; Laurel Holloman; Jon Stewart; Art Alexakis

Credit

Kerry Barden - Casting, Billy Hopkins - Casting, Suzanne Smith - Casting, Guy J. Louthan - Co-producer, Beth Pasternak - Costume Designer, Adam Escott - First Assistant Director, Lisa Krueger - Director, Guy J. Louthan - Second Unit Director, Curtiss Clayton - Editor, Colleen Sharp - Editor, Jonathan Gordon - Executive Producer, Guy J. Louthan - Executive Producer, Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer, Amy Slotnick - Executive Producer, Calexico - Composer (Music Score), Stephen E. Smith - Musical Direction/Supervision, Sharon Lomofsky - Production Designer, Tom Krueger - Cinematographer, Dean Silvers - Producer, Marlen Hecht - Producer, Lisa Kent - Set Designer, Robert Eber - Sound/Sound Designer, Lisa Krueger - Screenwriter, Randall Poster - Executive Music Producer, Ritchie Valens - Featured Music

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