Palm Trees and Power Lines (film)

Last updated

Palm Trees and Power Lines
Palm Trees and Power Lines.jpg
Official promotional poster
Directed byJamie Dack
Screenplay by
  • Jamie Dack
  • Audrey Findlay
Story byJamie Dack
Based onPalm Trees and Power Lines [1] [2]
by Jamie Dack
Produced by
  • Leah Chen Baker
  • Jamie Dack
Starring
CinematographyChananun Chotrungroj
Edited byChristopher Radcliff
Production
companies
Distributed by Momentum Pictures
Release dates
  • January 24, 2022 (2022-01-24)(Sundance)
  • March 3, 2023 (2023-03-03)(United States)
Running time
110 minutes [3]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Palm Trees and Power Lines is a 2022 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Jamie Dack in her feature directorial debut, based on her 2018 short film of the same name. The screenplay by Dack and Audrey Findlay is from a story by Dack. The film stars Lily McInerny as a disconnected teenage girl falling into a relationship with a man (Jonathan Tucker) twice her age.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the 38th Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2022, where Dack won the U.S. Dramatic Competition Directing Award. It was released in limited theaters and on VOD on March 3, 2023, by Momentum Pictures. [4] The film received positive reviews from critics and earned four nominations at the 38th Independent Spirit Awards, including Best First Feature.

Plot

Lea is a 17-year-old girl spending the last few weeks of her summer hanging out with her best friend Amber. She lives in suburban Southern California with her emotionally absent single mother, Sandra. Lea's father is not present in her life and lives in Arizona with his new family. Lea and Amber hang out with boys their age, and Lea has a casual relationship with one of them, Jared. However, Jared only values Lea for sex and their hookups are not satisfying for her.

One night, as the group of friends eat at a diner, Lea makes eye contact with an older guy sitting at another table who winks at her on his way out. Lea's friends run out on the bill, but Lea is left behind when she hesitates to follow them. When she does try running out, a cook accosts her, but the same man from earlier intervenes and Lea is able to get away. As she walks home, the older man drives his truck alongside her and coaxes her into getting in and giving her a ride home. He introduces himself as Tom and tells Lea he is 34 years old, while Lea shares her age. Before she departs, he adds his mobile number into her cell phone.

Lea is charmed by Tom and confides to Amber that she has met someone, but doesn't disclose the details and says the guy is a boy at another school. Lea's relationship with her mom becomes further strained when she welcomes an ex-boyfriend back into their house. Lea turns to Tom for attention and validation, and he acts sympathetically to her problems, telling her that he too does not have a close relationship with his parents. When Lea asks Tom what he does for a living, he vaguely responds that he runs his own small business doing home repairs and remodeling, a job that grants him complete freedom.

Lea soon enters into a romantic relationship with Tom. When she agrees to spend the night with him, he takes her to a motel, reasoning he is temporarily staying there until he finds a new place. Lea senses something is wrong when Tom must leave the room to attend to a domestic dispute upstairs, but he insists to Lea that he was just helping out a female neighbor with her drunk boyfriend. On a day out with Tom at the beach, Lea is spotted by a friend from school, and Tom introduces himself to her. Word gets back to Amber, and Lea makes her promise not to tell anyone about their relationship. Tom also asks Lea not to see other guys, telling her affectionately, "You're mine". Lea appreciates feeling wanted and desired.

Lea and Tom are at a restaurant one day and the waitress suspects Lea is in a coercive relationship. When Tom steps outside to take a phone call, the waitress covertly tells Lea that if she needs to get away, she can help her. Confused and unaware that she is being groomed by Tom, Lea asks why she would need help, and the waitress mentions that Tom frequents the eatery with other young girls. When Tom returns, he can sense Lea's unease and gets her to talk about what's troubling her. When she confesses the waitress said she's seen him before with other girls, he plays it off and claims she must have him mistaken with someone else.

Later, while Lea is out drinking and smoking with friends, Jared mockingly jokes she has been seen "hanging out with the geriatric". Lea, angry that Amber is the one who told Jared, storms off and shows up distraught at Tom's motel room. Tom comforts Lea by telling her he loves her and reassuring her that her friends and family's opinions don't matter. He also gifts her a bracelet inscribed with an inside joke they share. When he asks if she wants to go on a vacation with him, Lea agrees without hesitation and the two head to a hotel. On their second night at the hotel, Tom sits Lea down and asks her if she can do something for him. He says she needs to sleep with another man for money, and if she loves him she'll do it for him. Having coerced her into prostitution, he leaves her with a middle-aged man. The unnamed man coaxes a reluctant Lea into oral and vaginal sex. While the man is in the shower, an emotional Lea packs her things and leaves the room, but Tom catches her in an embrace before she can leave the hotel.

Tom takes her to get food at a restaurant, and Lea uses an excuse to go to the restroom as an opportunity to leave, walking to a nearby gas station by herself. She tearfully calls Amber to come pick her up, and when she arrives the two reconcile. At home, Lea makes an effort to spend more time with her mother and returns to her usual activities with Amber. After Amber compliments Lea's bracelet, she feels compelled to try and phone Tom several times, but his mobile number is disconnected. She goes to the motel and knocks on his door, but it goes unanswered. She inquires about Tom's whereabouts from an upstairs tenant she had seen Tom helping out before, and the girl reluctantly dials his number and puts her through to Tom. Lea sobs into the phone and asks why Tom abandoned her. The film ends with Lea's affirmations of her feelings for Tom and she smiles hearing him reciprocate his love for her.

Cast

Production

Jamie Dack's short film of the same name premiered at the Cannes Film Festival as a Cinéfondatio selection in 2018. [5] [6] Dack said she was inspired to revisit the story and further explore themes of manipulation and consent due to a personal connection to the material and the MeToo movement, saying, "I was thinking a lot about some relationships I had when I was younger, and how, when I was in them I thought that I was in control of them and consciously choosing them for myself. But now that I am an adult, when I look back on them, I realize that that wasn’t necessarily the case. I wanted to write this character who kind of serves as a proxy for my younger self, which allowed me to explore what had happened to me, but also what could have happened to me." [6] [7] The script, which was written by Dack and Audrey Findlay, was constructed to show the different stages of grooming, including "targeting a victim, gaining their trust, filling a need, isolating them, and then whatever the abuse ends up being." [6] [8]

The short and the feature were inspired from a series of 35-millimeter film photographs that Dack took in her native Southern California. [8] The title refers to the "suburban malaise that [Lea’s] experiencing…[which] is one of the things that cause her to be vulnerable to [Tom’s] manipulation". [8]

The film was shot over 25 days in the Los Angeles area in 2021. [8] Beach scenes were filmed in Malibu and San Diego. [6]

Release

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2022, [9] where it won the U.S. directing award. [10] It also screened at the San Francisco International Film Festival, [11] the Melbourne International Film Festival, [12] the Deauville Film Festival, [13] the Filmfest Hamburg, the London Film Festival, [14] the Busan International Film Festival, [15] the São Paulo International Film Festival, [16] the Valladolid International Film Festival, [16] the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, [16] the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, [16] the Stockholm International Film Festival [16] and the Torino Film Festival. [16]

In November 2022, Momentum Pictures acquired US and UK distribution rights to Palm Trees and Power Lines, [17] with a limited theatrical and VOD release on March 3, 2023. [18] [7]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 90% based on 77 reviews, with an average score of 7.6/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Palm Trees and Power Lines tells a difficult story with searing skill – and marks Lily McInerny as a young actor with brilliant potential". [19] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the film has a score of 73 out of 100 based on 20 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [20]

K. Austin Collins of Rolling Stone commented "This is a movie operating on the principle that the most routine form of this violence isn’t sensational, but subtle." [21] Writing for RogerEbert.com, Brian Tallerico called the film "a character study that’s anchored by a moving breakthrough performance from Lily McInerny, and one that ably supports and balances it from Jonathan Tucker." [22] Tomris Laffly of Harper's Bazaar wrote the film "goes somewhere even darker than Andrea Arnold 's Fish Tank , with a brave query into the notion of consent and a gut-wrenching parting note that feels like a scream stuck in one's throat." [23]

Roxana Hadadi of Vulture wrote, "Tucker’s performance here is so mesmerizingly disquieting", and he uses "the ability to temper the predatory glint in his eye with soft-spoken sensitivity" to "tremendously unsettling effect". [24] Hadadi added the film "doesn't deviate from where you predict it will go", but concluded "the relationship McInerny and Tucker build is so convincing in its mixture of exploitation and yearning that Palm Trees and Power Lines capably secures what Lea desires most too: your attention." [24]

While some critics said the film felt "frustratingly underdeveloped", [25] [26] Richard Brody of The New Yorker conceded, "the revelation of [Tom's true intent], when it arrives, is a shock nonetheless, to Lea and to viewers...[becoming] clear in a powerful, agonizing scene that Dack films with a supreme inspiration of empathy and understanding distilled into a single, fixed-frame, five-minute-plus shot, during which the anguish of anticipation yields to terror and revulsion." [25]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Sundance Film Festival January 28, 2022 Grand Jury Prize Dramatic Palm Trees and Power LinesNominated [27]
Best DirectorJamie DackWon
San Francisco International Film Festival April 30, 2022New Directors AwardJamie DackNominated [28]
Deauville American Film Festival September 10, 2022Grand PrizeJamie DackNominated [29]
Jury PrizeWon
Torino Film Festival December 3, 2022Best Feature FilmJamie DackWon [30]
Best ScreenplayJamie Dack and Audrey FindlayWon
Independent Spirit Awards March 4, 2023 Best First Feature Jamie Dack and Leah Chen BakerNominated [31]
Best First Screenplay Jamie Dack and Audrey FindlayNominated
Best Breakthrough Performance Lily McInernyNominated
Best Supporting Performance Jonathan Tucker Nominated

Related Research Articles

<i>In the Bedroom</i> 2001 film by Todd Field

In the Bedroom is a 2001 American drama film directed by Todd Field from a screenplay written by Field and Robert Festinger, based on the 1979 short story "Killings" by Andre Dubus. It stars Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei, and William Mapother. The film centers on the inner dynamics of a family in transition. Matt Fowler (Wilkinson) is a doctor practicing in Maine and is married to Ruth Fowler (Spacek), a music teacher. Their son Frank (Stahl) is involved in a love affair with an older single mother, Natalie Strout (Tomei). As the beauty of Maine's brief and fleeting summer comes to an end, these characters find themselves in the midst of an unimaginable tragedy.

<i>Secretary</i> (2002 film) 2002 film by Steven Shainberg

Secretary is a 2002 American erotic romantic comedy-drama film directed by Steven Shainberg from a screenplay by Erin Cressida Wilson, based on the 1988 short story of the same name by Mary Gaitskill. Starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Spader, the film explores the intense relationship between a dominant lawyer and his submissive secretary, who indulge in various types of BDSM activities such as erotic spanking and petplay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Tamblyn</span> American actress

Amber Rose Tamblyn is an American actress and author. She first came to national attention in her role on the soap opera General Hospital as Emily Quartermaine at the age of 11. She followed with a starring role on the prime-time series Joan of Arcadia, portraying the title character, Joan Girardi, for which she received Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Her feature film work includes roles such as Tibby Rollins from the first two The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and Megan McBride in 127 Hours (2010), as well as the critically acclaimed film, Stephanie Daley opposite Tilda Swinton which debuted at The Sundance Film Festival and for which Tamblyn won Best Actress at The Locarno International Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. In 2016, she made her directorial debut with the film Paint It Black starring Alia Shawkat and based on Janet Fitch's 2006 novel of the same name. In 2021 she starred opposite Diane Lane in FX's Y: The Last Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gretchen Mol</span> American actress (born 1972)

Gretchen Mol is an American actress. She is known for her role as Gillian Darmody in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014). She also appeared in the films Rounders (1998), Celebrity (1998), The Thirteenth Floor (1999), The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)—in which she played the title character—3:10 to Yuma (2007) and Manchester by the Sea (2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dakota Johnson</span> American actress (born 1989)

Dakota Mayi Johnson is an American actress. The daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, Johnson made her film debut at age ten with a minor role in Crazy in Alabama (1999), directed by her then-stepfather Antonio Banderas, and also starring her mother. After graduating from high school, she began auditioning for roles in Los Angeles and had a minor part in The Social Network (2010). Johnson had her breakthrough playing the lead role of Anastasia Steele in the erotic Fifty Shades film series (2015–2018). In 2016, she received a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination and was featured in a Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

<i>Stephanie Daley</i> 2006 American film

Stephanie Daley is a 2006 drama film written and directed by Hilary Brougher. The film stars Amber Tamblyn, Melissa Leo, Tilda Swinton and Timothy Hutton. The film, which received a limited release in North America on April 20, 2007, focuses on the issue of teenage pregnancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Heard</span> American actress (born 1986)

Amber Laura Heard is an American actress. She had her first leading role in the horror film All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006), and went on to star in films such as The Ward (2010), Drive Angry (2011), and London Fields (2018). She has also had supporting roles in films including Pineapple Express (2008), Never Back Down (2008), The Joneses (2009), The Rum Diary (2011), Paranoia (2013), Machete Kills (2013), 3 Days to Kill (2014), Magic Mike XXL (2015), and The Danish Girl (2015). From 2017 to 2023, Heard played Mera in the DC Extended Universe, including the films Justice League (2017), Aquaman (2018), and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023). She has also acted in television series such as The CW's teen drama Hidden Palms (2007) and the Paramount+ fantasy series The Stand (2020–2021).

<i>Mother and Child</i> (2009 film) 2009 film

Mother and Child is a 2009 drama film directed and written by Rodrigo García. It premiered on September 14, 2009, at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2010, and was the closing night selection in the 2010 Maryland Film Festival. It had a limited release in the United States beginning May 7, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amber Rubarth</span> American musician and actress

Amber Rubarth is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She has toured extensively throughout Europe, North America, Japan, South Korea and South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desiree Akhavan</span> American film director, producer, screenwriter and actress

Desiree Akhavan (Persian: دزیره اخوان, born December 27, 1984) is an American filmmaker, writer and actress. She is best known for her 2014 feature film debut Appropriate Behavior, and her 2018 film The Miseducation of Cameron Post. She appeared in the found footage horror film Creep 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Camila Morrone</span> American actress (born 1997)

Camila Rebeca Morrone is an American actress and model. She made her acting debut in the James Franco film Bukowski (2013) and appeared in the action film Death Wish (2018), as well as the independent films Never Goin' Back (2018) and Mickey and the Bear (2019). Her role as Camila Alvarez-Dunne in the Amazon Prime Video limited series Daisy Jones & the Six (2023) earned her a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award.

<i>The Souvenir</i> 2019 film by Joanna Hogg

The Souvenir is a 2019 romantic drama film written, directed, and co-produced by Joanna Hogg. The film is a semi-autobiographical account of Hogg's experiences at film school. It stars Honor Swinton Byrne, Tom Burke, and Tilda Swinton. It follows a young, quietly ambitious film student who embarks on her first serious love affair with a charismatic and mysterious man.

<i>The Last Tree</i> (film) 2019 film

The Last Tree is a 2019 British drama film directed by Shola Amoo. It premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was released in the UK on 27 September 2019.

<i>Paris, 13th District</i> 2021 film by Jacques Audiard

Paris, 13th District is a 2021 French drama film directed by Jacques Audiard, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Céline Sciamma and Léa Mysius, loosely based on the short comic stories Amber Sweet and Killing and Dying from the book of the latter's name, and Hawaiian Getaway from the book Summer Blonde, all by American cartoonist Adrian Tomine. It stars Lucie Zhang, Makita Samba, Noémie Merlant and Jehnny Beth.

Kelly O'Sullivan is an American actress, screenwriter, director, and producer. She wrote and starred in Saint Frances (2019), which won the Audience Award and the Special Jury Award at 2019 SXSW Film Festival. She also wrote and co-directed Ghostlight, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

<i>Cha Cha Real Smooth</i> 2022 American film by Cooper Raiff

Cha Cha Real Smooth is a 2022 American romantic comedy drama film written, produced, and directed by Cooper Raiff. The plot centers on a 22-year-old college graduate (Raiff) who starts making money as a party starter while he also strikes up a relationship with a 32-year-old mother. The cast also includes Raúl Castillo, Odeya Rush, Evan Assante, Vanessa Burghardt, Brad Garrett, and Leslie Mann.

The 2022 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 20 to 30, 2022. Due to COVID-19 pandemic protocol, it was initially intended to be an in-person/virtual hybrid festival, but on January 5, 2022, it was announced that the in-person components would be scrapped in favor of a wholly virtual festival due to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 9, 2021.

<i>You Hurt My Feelings</i> (2023 film) American film by Nicole Holofcener

You Hurt My Feelings is a 2023 American comedy-drama film written, directed and produced by Nicole Holofcener. It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed and Jeannie Berlin.

This is a list of winners for the Sundance Film Festival Directing Award for dramatic features.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lily McInerny</span> American actress

Lily McInerny is an American actress. She was nominated for Best Breakthrough Performance at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards for her role in the 2022 film Palm Trees and Power Lines.

References

  1. "Palm Trees and Power Lines". Festival de Cannes . Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  2. "Palm Trees and Power Lines". NYU Tisch School of the Arts . Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  3. Gleiberman, Owen (January 24, 2022). "'Palm Trees and Power Lines' Review: The Gripping Drama of a Teenager Drawn Into an Affair of Darkness". Variety. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  4. "Palm Trees and Power Lines". Momentum Pictures . Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  5. "Palm Trees and Power Lines". Vimeo. May 28, 2019. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Gates, Marya E. (January 28, 2022). "Jamie Dack Talks 'Palm Trees And Power Lines,' Filmmaking Inspirations & More [Sundance Interview]". The Playlist. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Lang, Brent (March 5, 2023). "'Palm Trees and Power Lines' Scored Raves at Sundance, But Its Director Says No One Wanted to Buy the Controversial Film: 'People Were Scared'". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 McCormack, Colin (February 27, 2023). "Filmmaker Interview: JAMIE DACK, writer/director/producer of PALM TREES AND POWER LINES". SAGindie. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  9. Lang, Brent (December 9, 2021). "Sundance Unveils 2022 Feature Lineup, Including Films From Lena Dunham, Amy Poehler and Netflix's Kanye West Doc". Variety . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  10. Bergeson, Samantha (January 28, 2022). "Sundance 2022 Award Winners: 'Nanny,' 'Cha Cha Real Smooth,' and 'Navalny' Win Big". IndieWire . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  11. Lattanzio, Ryan (March 30, 2022). "SFFILM Festival Unveils 65th Lineup, from Michelle Yeoh Tribute to 'Cha Cha Real Smooth'". IndieWire . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  12. Bird de la Coeur, Sidonie (July 21, 2022). "10 must-see films at the Melbourne International Film Festival 2022". Beat Magazine . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  13. Keslassy, Elsa (July 27, 2022). "Deauville Film Festival Unveils Competition Lineup, Including 'War Pony' and 'Aftersun'". Variety . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  14. Prusakowski, Steven (September 2, 2022). "The Full Lineup for the BFI London Film Festival is Out". Awards Radar. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  15. "Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Palm Trees and Power Lines (2022) - Awards & Festivals". mubi.com . Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  17. Kay, Jeremy (November 4, 2022). "Momentum Pictures acquires US, UK rights to Sundance award winner 'Palm Trees And Power Lines' (exclusive)". Screen Daily . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  18. Oddo, Marco Vito (February 6, 2023). "'Palm Trees and Power Lines' Trailer Turns Jonathan Tucker Into a Cautionary Tale". Collider . Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  19. "Palm Trees and Power Lines". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  20. "Palm Trees and Power Lines". Metacritic . Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  21. Collins, K. Austin (March 2, 2023). "A Terrifying Tale of a Teenage Girl Groomed Into Being Sex Trafficked". Rolling Stone . Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  22. Tallerico, Brian (January 25, 2022). "Sundance 2022: Cha Cha Real Smooth, Palm Trees and Power Lines, Alice, Blood". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  23. Laffly, Tomris (February 1, 2022). "The 15 Must-See Movies from This Year's Sundance Film Festival". Harper's Bazaar . Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  24. 1 2 Hadadi, Roxana (March 7, 2023). "A Grim, Mesmerizing Portrait of Romantic Manipulation". Vulture . Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  25. 1 2 Brody, Richard (March 6, 2023). ""Palm Trees and Power Lines," Reviewed: An Arachnid Groomer and His Abstract Prey". The New Yorker . Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  26. Dargis, Manohla (March 2, 2023). "'Palm Trees and Power Lines' Review: A Teen's Cautionary Tale". The New York Times . Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  27. Debruge, Peter (January 28, 2022). "Sundance 2022 Winners: From 'Nanny' and 'Navalny' to Crowd-Pleaser 'Cha Cha Real Smooth,' Indie Fest Spreads the Wealth". Variety. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  28. "SFFILM announces prestigious Golden Gate Award winners at the 65th San Francisco International Film Festival". San Francisco International Film Festival (Press release). April 30, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  29. Keslassy, Elsa (September 10, 2022). "'Aftersun,' 'War Pony,' 'Palm Trees and Power Lines' Win Top Prizes at Deauville Festival". Variety . Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  30. Abbatescianni, Davide (December 4, 2022). "Jamie Dack's Sundance Winner 'Palm Trees and Power Lines' Triumphs at Torino Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  31. D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 22, 2022). "Spirit Award Noms 2023: 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Leads & Will Vie For Best Picture With 'Bones And All', 'Our Father, The Devil', 'Tár' & 'Women Talking'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 24, 2022.