Drama

Western

Don't Come Knocking

Reverse Angle International

Reverse Angle Production

ARTE France Cinéma

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Océan Films Distribution

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HanWay Films

Sony Pictures Classics

ZDF/Arte

Wim Wenders Stiftung

France

Germany

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United States of America

English

Sam Shepard

Jessica Lange

Tim Roth

Gabriel Mann

Sarah Polley

Fairuza Balk

Eva Marie Saint

James Roday Rodriguez

Jeffrey Vincent Parise

Majandra Delfino

Marieh Delfino

George Kennedy

Julia Sweeney

Tim Matheson

James Gammon

Robin Twogood

Mike Butters

Rita Hutchison

Marley Shelton

Kurt Fuller

Tom Farrell

Yuri Elvin

Rachel Amondson

Jinny Lee Story

Hugh Aodh O'Brien

Raymond O'Connor

Carrie Mae Jones

Emy Coligado

Kristina Lankford

Katie Goodman

Rodney A. Grant

David Michie

T Bone Burnett

Jeremy Thomas

Nathan Amondson

Heidi Levitt

Barbara Lamelza

Wim Wenders

Nicole Lobart

William Budge

Karsten Brünig

David Storm

Renée Gundelach

Oli Weiss

Caroline Eselin

In-Ah Lee

Franz Lustig

Peter Przygodda

Reinhold Elschot

Andreas Schreitmüller

Manfred Zurhorst

Stephan Mallmann

Rémi Burah

Samson Mucke

D. Garen Tolkin

Meinolf Zurhorst

Bonita DeHaven

Dominik Bollen

Michael Wenders

Niels Rinke

Carsten H.W. Lorenz

Haley Sweet

Peter Nadermann

Sam Debree

Frank Graf

Michel Reilhac

David Larson

Courtney Buley

Josef Lieck

Edward McGurn

Josefine Schwartzkopff

Peter Schwartzkopff

Caught between Earth and Sky  

RELEASED IN 2005 and directed by Wim Wenders, "Don't Come Knocking" tells the story of a 60 year-old B-Western film has-been, Howard Spence (Sam Shepard), who is sick of his meaningless scandalous carnal existence. While on a film set in Utah he jumps ship and flees on a horse, searching for SOMETHING, like a reason to exist. He ultimately travels to Butte, Montana, where he gets reacquainted with an ex-girlfriend (Jessica Lange) and meets an angry young musician (Gabriel Mann) as well as a mysterious spiritual woman (Sarah Polley). Meanwhile the film company sends an eccentric bounty hunter (Tim Roth) to fetch Shepard for breach of contract.

Although this is generally a quiet drama, it has a hip and likable artistic flair. The film is highlighted by magnificent Western locations and a nice modern Country/Western/Rockish score/soundtrack (non-twangy).

We can all relate to Howard's search on some level; hence, despite the film's slow drama it generally maintains the viewer's attention throughout its runtime, unless you strictly favor fast-paced, quick-edited explosion-every-five-minutes thrillers.

The two youths Howard meets in the story, Earl and Sky, represent two extremes. Earl's name is fitting because he's full of volcanic rage that spits out from deep within the Earth (Earl/Earth, get it?). Sky, on the other hand, is completely spiritual in nature (hence, sky/heaven). She's full of warmth, love, compassion and forgiveness. In fact, she's the crucial Christ figure without which there would be little reconciliation for anyone in the story.

Take note of the scene where Sky meets Howard in his hotel room. Sky just looks at him with the understanding eyes of divine love. This naturally makes Spence uncomfortable; he's never experienced this before. He doesn't know what to do, so he asks her to leave.

On a side note, Jessica Lange still looks good for being in her mid-50s but I found her character strange and annoying. Also, Earl's girlfriend (Fairuza Balk) is an entertaining free spirit who looks like she might be the daughter of Steven Tyler.

The third act of "Don't Come Knocking" is too low-key for my tastes, but the movie’s worthwhile if you favor the cast and have a taste for eccentric indie dramas, as well as stories about the modern West with echoes to the past.

THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 51 minutes and was shot in Butte; Arches National Park and Moab, Utah; Elko and Wendover, Nevada; and Los Angeles. WRITERS: Sam Shepherd and Wim Wenders.

GRADE: B-

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