What do Christopher Walken and Celtic druids have in common? Well something, according to this film but I’m still not sure what I watched or how to make heads or tails out of it. Sharing the alternate titles of ‘Trance’ and ‘The Eternal’ depending on which DVD or streaming version you find, this is a kind of inexplicably odd, low key B movie about a troubled American couple (Alison Elliot and Jared Harris) who travel to rural Ireland with their young son in order to quit the sauce. Why they picked a perennially pickled country like that to come down off of booze is their business, but anyways. They end up staying with her wacky uncle Bill (Walken) who apparently is Irish but Walken makes no effort to hide his trademark accent and idiosyncratic vernacular which actually gives this thing some ironic charm. He spends his time in the basement trying to resurrect some ancient druid mummy thing and needs her help because of their bloodline or something and they spend their days arguing, listlessly parenting the kid and making every effort not to get sloshed at every turn. I don’t know what to say other than this general summary, it’s a weird little flick. Walken has found himself in the UK in cinema before playing a kooky mortician (seek out Plots With A View if you can, it’s a gem) but here I’m not really sure what or who he is supposed to be because the film has no idea where it’s going and takes it’s time not getting there. He’s always watchable no matter what though so it has that going for it I guess. Just not much in the way of a clear vision.
-Nate Hill
Podcasting Them Softly 