Lonesome Jim

Popular actor Steve Buscemi deliberately focuses on the lives of outsiders in his directorial work, claiming that he had dangerously close encounters with them before his acting success. This time, he is not moving among pubs and pub regulars like in his debut film Trees Lounge but rather describes the feelings of a young man who aimlessly drifts through life at the age of 27, earning a living by dog walking. This is not exactly a good foundation for healthy self-confidence, especially with the knowledge that his parents established a successful company in their twenties and have been able to work on their American dream without stumbling their whole lives. His brother is in the same situation, and after a failed marriage and loss of employment, he must settle for working in his parents' business for minimum wage. The factory, due to Asian competition, has long left the prosperous times behind. His only anchor point is coaching a school basketball team of total losers who haven't scored a single basket in 14 games. This is the starting point of an unobtrusive independent film that intentionally resigns on any attempts to shock or entertain cheaply. However, it effectively focuses on the emotional portrayal of its characters and can rely on reliable acting performances. Of course, Liv Tyler is an exception, as she has never been, is not, and will not be a character actress; she is simply a model who utilizes the pretty face of the charming girl next door, and fortunately, the screenwriter and director do not expect any acting miracles from her. Overall impression: 75%. (14/10/2011)