Bellflower (Evan Glodell, 2011)

By: Ty Landis

Despite its manipulated sepia tone look and indulgently hip swagger, Bellflower is a bit of a mess, albeit, one with enough raw energy to fuel a handful of  films. Its uber-overt themes of getting your heart broken equating to the apocalypse are heavy handed and perhaps too “in your face,” to amount to anything substantial. Director Evan Glodell is trying his best to mix style with substance, but the latter is far too under-cooked, serving as a hindrance to what already feels novel from the outset. Bellflower’s carefree and mildly nihilistic nature will reveal itself as nothing new to the viewer, as this type of “moodiness,” and state of mind that Glodell is striving for has been executed better by many before him. The film’s commentary on aimless and detached youth is toothless, as we routinely watch the film’s protagonist struggle with women, masculinity, etc.  Bellflower goes to some pretty dark places and projects some fierce imagery, but it’s all mistakenly stripped away. Instead of going for the gusto, Glodell plays it safe, holding back the mixture of sensitivity and rage that had been successfully prevalent throughout.

Grade: 3/5