Leaves of Grass

When the credits roll after you finish watching “Leaves of Grass”, the first name to pop belongs to the writer/director Tim Blake Nelson. While the movie didn’t leave me wanting to go out and immediately start watching everything this guy has ever directed, I figured a little research before writing a review couldn't’ hurt. When his photo popped up on-line, I immediately recognized his face. This guy has been a supporting actor in almost everything. He was even in this movie, again in a supporting roll... Really? This guy doesn't even step up for his own movie....

Well actually I love the fact that he doesn't star in this, because it give us the chance to see a great performance by Edward Norton. Norton plays a Boston area university professor named Bill, and his Oklahoma back woods pot dealing identical twin brother Brady. Both have genius level I.Q.s, but while Bill uses his powers to try to advance his career teaching classic philosophy, Brady’s brain power is burned while he burns. Actually Brady’s knowledge of hydroponics and botany is PHD level, and he is more than able to keep up with his brother’s academic babble. He even critiques Bill’s recent work making a point that he only had to look up one word and he didn’t use “no Merriam and Webster” he used “the f*****g O. E. D.” Needless to say, the conversations between two baked geniuses is very entertaining.

The main characters in “Leaves of Grass” are all connected to words. Bill and Brady both have super sized vocabularies, and their mother as well as Bills love interest are English teachers. They are constantly talking about literature or grammar, or using poetry in their regular conversations. Even the film’s title is taken from the Walt Whitman poetry collection of the same title, which was awkwardly edited into the end.

The story left something to be desired. I was having so much fun just spending time with these characters that I almost forgot that Brady was having a confrontation with a drug dealer, and Bill was dealing with threats to his career. The sub plot of Bill confronting his estranged mother was more interesting then the actual conflict. When they do get around to the actual story arc, it goes by so fast that you almost wish they just left it out. In this mess of a script, I couldn't tell you where the climax was. I really wish they had come up with a better plot Bill and Brady.

The cinematography reeked of indy flick. The shots and editing made me feel like I was watching the nightly news. Some of the scenes cutting back and forth between Brady and Bill took me out of the movie, because it looked more like a jump cut of Edward Norton, rather then a cut back and forth between two twins. Give me an “L” cut or something here guys come on.

If you were to ask me if I recommended “Leaves of Grass”, I would have to ask what kind of mood you’re in. If you wanted to sit alone on in a small group of friends, then yes this is a good pick. If you are in a large group of friends or with your significant other I would pick something else. Why? Because dragging plot line will be a huge turn off for a lot of people so there is a good possibility that will be several people who don’t like this in a large group and why take the chance if you’re doing a movie night with your girlfriend. But if you’re a Norton fan this is a do not miss.