The Ballad of Jack and Rose Review

Writer-director Rebecca (daughter of Arthur) Miller's follow up to "Personal Velocity" is an intriguing, frequently intense drama with terrific performances from its superb cast. Daniel Day-Lewis (Miller's real-life partner) plays Jack Slavin, an idealist who has raised his 16 year old daughter Rose (rising star Camilla Belle) on the site of his abandoned island commune, away from the influences of the outside world.

However, when Jack is diagnosed with a fatal illness, he has to rethink his plans for Rose's future, so he invites his on-off girlfriend Kathleen (the ever excellent Catherine Keener) and her teenage sons, sullen Thaddeus (Paul Dano) and overweight wannabe hairdresser Rodney (Ryan McDonald) to live with. Unfortunately, Rose doesn't take at all kindly to her new situation and none of them are quite prepared for the strength (or, indeed, the ingenuity) of her rebellion.

The performances are all extremely good, from the leads, right down to the bit parts, such as Jason Lee (in a small but significant role), Jena Malone (as the oddly named Red Berry) and Beau Bridges as a land developer with his eye on Jack's island. Day-Lewis adopts a note-perfect Scottish accent for the role, which works surprisingly well, adding an unspoken history and significantly softening his character. However, the real revelation is Camilla Belle - her performance here proves that her current status as Hollywood's Next Big Thing is entirely justified. (She also has a dramatic haircut scene that rivals Natalie Portman's in V for Vendetta).

In short, this is an engaging drama that's worth seeing for its unusual setting and its intriguing characters. Recommended.