Directed by Chris Bowman
With Hubbel Palmer, William Baldwin, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Kathleen Quinlan, Vincent Caso, Nick Lashaway, Bruce McGill
Website at www.americanforkmovie.com
Tracy Orbison is an overweight, poetry-writing dreamer, stuck in a dead-end town, working in a grocery store where all the employees are assistant managers. At home, he has to put up with his religious mother and his dateless, stuffed-animal-obsessed sister. Ruled by his own innocent fascinations, he is determined to improve his life by making something of himself — though he’d be satisfied to simply lose ten pounds or pass his driving exam. He enrolls in an acting class and quickly falls under the spell of his instructor, overdramatic hack Truman Hope. When acting doesn’t pan out, he sets his sights on mentoring the lost-youth friends of his young co-worker Kendis. Things take a dark turn, and suddenly Tracy finds himself out of work, in trouble with the law, and practically friendless. Only self-determination will turn things around for him. (from the filmfest-guide)
I have always been attracted to outsider-stories. Outsiders in real life, in literature, art, music or cinema always have a very honest and real quality I could very easily identify with. It requires either incredible strength, innocence, passion, craziness or other “disabilities”, or a mix of them to become and stay an individual swimming against the wave of popularity, masses, fashion, and standards. No matter which of these factors formed the outsider in the end: the result is usually very real, honest and true. Nobody would put on a mask for the privilege of becoming an outsider.
American Fork was another outsider story, the story of the outworldish innocent character of Tracy Orbison, one who reminded me of somebody I knew myself once. How could I not enjoy it?! This film didn’t try to be too deep and serious and appeared very light, bright, funny, polished and simply entertaining.
I don’t want to overanalyze this film! American Fork was well written and filmed, the actors were wonderful, it offered a well-balanced mix of funny, dramatic, quirky and dark moments and I enjoyed it very much.
