Just Add Water

source: Just Add Water

Is this movie a satire, comedy, vigilante, romance ...? It works for the first hour or so as a satire and then becomes a combination syrupy romance and revenge-vigilante movie. Some of the acting is good - the male lead is, but the female grocery-girl love interest is simplistic. The dead-beats and loser-town America were well portrayed and this gave the movie some authenticity - the homes and interiors were certainly not taken from 'Town and Country'. But when it's said and done the ending is a lame-brain fairy tale. Too bad because I did feel 'sometimes' that this film was going somewhere.

This was a well acted and well directed film. For $625,000, such an amazing cast was put together, and many scenes could have been improved if they had had a higher budget. This is a great pick me up movie, and the humor is high brow, if you don't like it you probably don't understand the references or miss the humor weaved into the movie. All in all, an enjoyable film. I recommend this movie to anyone who is reading the review, and if you own a netflix account, I do suggest ordering the movie, as it most definitely is worth watching. Danny DeVito is great, and so is the main male lead. The acting by Jake Long is definitely sure to make you laugh. -Russ

I loved this. It's capturing. Of course the stellar cast (Dylan Walsh, Tracy Middendorf, Danny DeVito and Cerina Vincent) has much to do with it, but on top of that it's a really good story. And quite funny too, without ever getting sentimental, which is quite an achievement. A truly brilliant film, don't know why it ever escaped my intention. I loved this. It's capturing. Of course the stellar cast (Dylan Walsh, Tracy Middendorf, Danny DeVito and Cerina Vincent) has much to do with it, but on top of that it's a really good story. And quite funny too, without ever getting sentimental, which is quite an achievement. A truly brilliant film, don't know why it ever escaped my intention.

This is a satirical romance/comedy about a man who just enjoys the simple things in life and lives in a rundown community run by a meth head teenager. In it there are a couple subtle messages that go without being truly noticed. You will catch them if you are actually paying attention to the characters and their development. The humor is sometimes dry, useless in some scenes but helps drive the plot line. Dylan Walsh (Nip/Tuck) is the center piece of this film as Ray, simple, but hopeless man who goes day to day. The cast ensemble includes Melissa McCarthy, Justin Long, Danny DeVito, Jonah Hill who all have smaller roles but ones with substance. Overall the film doesn't scream laughter or too much in your face romance, it drives home the point about having dreams and being able to dream big enough to see it through. A generally good date movie. I give it 5/10

Just Add Water is a moving, quirky, subtly-nuanced fable about suffering, love and redemption. Set in the belly of a culture that's been spiritually and environmentally devastated, enough becomes more than enough, and a small group of determined people decide to reclaim their lives, their homes and their land. Part comedy, part tragedy, part parable, this film is a mirror for our times. Dylan Walsh delivers an understated, heartful performance. The landscape reflects the energy of the people and their predicament. The musical score is excellent, moving, surprising. And the message is one of hope. That we can turn around the destruction that has taken hold of too much of our precious planet. Beautifully acted. Artfully written and directed by Hart Bochner.

This movie doesn't deserve any awards but it doesn't deserve to be slated either. It made me laugh and I really enjoyed it. The premise of the story is quite simple, likable Ray is stuck in a dead-end job, in a dead-end town but through a fortunate chain of events his life changes for the better. This is a fun film, it isn't meant to be realistic and to pick at it for this reason is pretty silly. This is not the new "Juno" it is a different kettle of fish all together. It reminded me of "Office Space" by Mike Judge in that it isn't very complex but does what it does very nicely. It is pretty formulaic but it was a joy to watch. Danny De Vito's narration keeps it ticking over nicely and the cast all do a great job. Some great moments that will make me want to watch it again at some point. If you are in the mood for some easy going laughs that won't tax your mind too much this will sort you out. Give it a go, most people won't be disappointed.

I'm certain other references to Juno likewise referred to Alaska, a place that abounds with cold, desolate areas devoid of humans and hence devoid of intelligent life. Similar in fact to the town of Trona. IMDb's plot sets the pace noting the film involves a decent guy "...with a dead-end life in the dead-end town of Trona.." So far, the makings of fall off the chair comedy, right! NOT. There is more, much more. Assume the first hour or so has the comedic pace of a slow slug and you have further insight into the vastly overrated INDIE. IQ's less than the cost of a postage stamp....you got em' in droves...just count the beer cans. Add upon this the necessary suspension of the suspension of belief. No law enforcement, teen crooks, food less market, no people, few cars, no tourists, no traffic, no money and yes...just the location for a spanking new Chevron station. Oh yes, rolling down the aisle comedy...the only family we meet assaults viewers with its low life dysfunctionality from meals, to relationships to parenting,,,,an endless humorless assault. People who dwell in the dust for chance, a moment each day, to obsess over a decades old fleeting memory. A place where bicycle teen toughies somehow rule and are so brainless they would take on a man who's wealth could see them taken down in a nanosecond. However, going through this looking glass makes all possible. Smart lines that those who rave about the script and compare to Juno are obviously referring to: To Ray (parking lot cashier) from wife over diner: How many cars did you count today? Ray (the most intelligent man in Trona) to Danny Devito: Do you OWN Chevron? Finally it ended in the manor of a bad keystone cops comedy. It was over, all that was left was for me to wipe the heavy layer of Trona's dust from my face. That happens if you sit too close to the screen.

A smart, funny, trenchant film!. the dialog sparkles throughout, highly literate, funny. And the acting is first rate. I was very moved by the relationship between Dylan Walsh and Trace Middendorf...they were both great. It's always fun to see Devito...and definitely another side of Justin Long. Well directed...well written Well shot. I enjoyed every minute of the film. The "pole" scene was funny! And I loved the ending....all the characters coming together...except for the bad guys..of course! Well done. I loved it! A very funny film. I'd like to see more from this director and also from Tracey and Dylan!

I have always been fascinated by Trona since the first time I drove through it some 15 years ago, reminds me of a full scale model railroad town and it looks like perhaps no other place in California...Trona has a bit of a reputation , it is the least expensive place to live in California and , consequently, you will find a lot of dead enders in this little town, people on fixed incomes , ice heads and everything in between , there is not a lot in the way of law enforcement in the town ....Trona, as is pointed out in this movie, was not always like this , there are plenty of good , hard working people there who remember better days...and no doubt dream of future better days...the town is situated in the most striking high desert any desert lover would fall in love with, it is on the way to Death Valley and was once a hangout for Charles Manson, Manson's last redoubt was the Barker Ranch which is, by way of the crow flying, no more then maybe 10 or 15 miles.....But back to the film at hand Ray Tuckby {Played by Dylan Walsh} is one of these people who remember better days, his personal life, mainly his marriage , has taken a hit and worse yet , the town has been taken over by a skinhead meth syndicate who pretty much run the town, extorting money from the residents and selling drugs and worst of all, sucking the town's young people into there activities ...... A gentleman by the name of Merl {played by Danny DeVito} comes to town to open a gas station. Merl is a very positive person who, at first, is naive to the town's ways.....Merl meets Ray, Ray tells Merl about the town, Merl tells Ray that it is never too late to dream and envision a better life, they form a fast friendship....to cut to the chase, this builds a fire under Ray to take the town back , and to be with a woman named Nora {Played by the lovely Tracy Middendorf }whom he has admired ever since high school, she is a huge upgrade from his estranged wife, and that is putting it mildly.. The movie was beautifully shot and of the three movies I have seen that deal with Trona {"Trona" , "Land Of Plenty" and this film} "Just add water" is the most comprehensive look at Trona yet . The message of the film is indeed very inspiring and does indeed show that one man with a dream can indeed change himself and the people around him {there is even some narration to that affect} My only quibble I would have with the film is that they borrowed the saga of Keeler California which was on the eastern side of the now dry Owens Lake, This is a whole other story altogether, in short, the city of Los Angeles diverted the Owens River nearly a hundred years ago for there own water purposes, drying Owens Lake and creating an environmental disaster that still has major ramifications......I will forgive this fusion of stories...Trona is on the western side of Searles Dry Lake...the key difference being that it is a ice age era lake and has been dry for 10,000 years......and I certainly would have no objections to it refilling .....regards and enjoy, Darryl....PS "Land Of Plenty" is a fine film as well....