By By Taylor Long
Having penned such cult favorites as Vanilla Sky, Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Singles, Say Anything… and Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Cameron Crowe has certainly built an impressive resume. It’s no wonder, then, why there was anticipation surrounding the release of Elizabethtown, his first film since 2001’s Vanilla Sky. However, Crowe doesn’t quite live up to the standards of his past works with this idiosyncratic story of love and failure.
The story begins with the horrific failure of “Spasmodica,” a shoe designed by boy wonder Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom), who spent years (and not to mention a large amount of money) developing what was supposed to be groundbreaking footwear. Unsurprisingly, after losing billions of dollars for his boss (a strange cameo Alec Baldwin), he is let go and his attractive co-worker girlfriend dumps him.
Baylor returns home to design a machine to help kill himself. He’s about to turn it on when his sister calls to tell him that his father, Mitch, has passed away while visiting his hometown of Elizabethtown, Ky. Drew’s mother (Susan Sarandon) has a less than cordial past with her husband’s family, so he is asked to go to Elizabethtown, have his father cremated in his favorite blue suit and return with the ashes.
On his redeye flight to Kentucky, Stewardess Claire Colburn (Kirsten Dunst) strikes up conversation with Drew because he is the only passenger. When the plane lands, Claire has given him driving directions to Elizabethtown and her phone number.
Drew arrives in Elizabethtown to meet the family he’s only heard of through stories, and quickly finds himself acting as the moderator of a rather passive debate between two sides of the family. His mother and his sister, who knew a more recent version of Mitch, say he wanted to be cremated, and his aunts and uncles, who grew up with Mitch, insist he be buried in a spot reserved for him on the family plot in Elizabethtown.
That night, Drew is bored and lonely in the hotel and calls an assortment of people. After going through the numbers in his phone, he finds the directions with Claire’s number and decides to call her. They talk all night long, but lament over Claire’s impending departure the next day on her vacation flight to Hawaii. However, instead of leaving, she surprises Drew in the hotel lobby, having postponed her trip to spend more time with him.
While the family battles back and forth over Mitch’s remains, Drew forms a closer relationship with his aunts and uncles. Through this, he also learns history behind the father he hardly knew and why this side of the family has harsh feelings towards his mother. Meanwhile, he and Claire move back and forth over their could be romance. They are able to avoid a kiss that could spoil any chance for friendship in the future but are unable to stay away from each other. They discuss their recent tragic romances and deplore being “substitutes” for other people.
After an unusual decision about cremation or burial is made, Drew’s mother and sister come out for the service, which proves to be the most memorable scene of the film. Claire meets Drew after the service to give him a hand-made map for a road-trip she insisted he take, and he leaves on his journey to wallow in misery and regret over the loss of his father and his job.
The most surprising thing about this film is that Crowe stumbles in a place where he normally has bragging rights: the characters. At first, the characters of Drew and Claire are difficult to relate to or even like. Drew’s lack of personality and Claire’s mildly creepy attachment ro Drew early on make it difficult for the viewers to form a connection with either one. Eventually, though, the film reveals sides to the two that are easier to appreciate and understand, proving Crowe hasn’t lost his touch entirely. Bloom and Dunst are perfect in their roles, a fact that either defends or destroystheir acting abilities-it’s difficult to tell which.
Instead, the most impressive roles and performances are found in supporting characters. Sarandon adds enchantment to a small part, making it disappointing that Crowe didn’t have her in more scenes. Additionally, Paul Schneider gives an inspired performance as Jessie Baylor, Drew’s rock-and-roll cousin who has the optimism and dreams of a child, despite having a kid of his own.
As a movie, Elizabethtown is a quirky story of self-discovery amid loss and love. But as a Cameron Crowe flick, it’s a seemingly half-hearted venture from a man who normally gives 110 percent.
Final Grade: B

Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom suit their roles in Elizabethtown. (Image courtesy cinema.com)