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End of innocence (Blue Ridge Fall)
Threat advisory: Elevated - Significant risk of entertaining activities
Movie propaganda
Friends till death do us part.
It is autumn and four young men on the football team in Jefferson Creek, North Carolina USA, are poised for a ticket out of their small hometown: football scholarships at the state university.
A simple-minded sketch artist named Aaron (Rodney Eastman) looks up to Danny Shepherd (Peter Facinelli), the natural leader of the group, and the others as his only friends. But that talented boy remains trapped in a world of abuse at home. Family violence ultimately drives Aaron to a desperate act he cannot fully grasp. After discovering the gruesome crime Danny and his friends vow to protect Aaron by covering up the evidence.
A whirlwind transpires for these five young men and once again Aaron becomes the catalyst for violent action, blurring traditional notions of right and wrong in the American south.
Also starring Tom Arnold as Walter, Will Estes as Taz, Jay R Ferguson as Shane, Garvin Funches as Gil, Amy Irving as Ellie, Chris Isaak as Emerson, Brent Jennings as Jack Crow, Heather Stephens as Carrie and Dennis W Zerull as Joel. Written and directed by James Rowe.
Intelligence analyst
Special Agent Matti
Theatrical report
The theft of innocence.It never ceases to amaze me that there are people on your planet who believe they are right when they are so obviously wrong. People who think that god exists solely to approve their way of life. People who cling to the means of their destruction because it's the only thing they can call their own. People who breed, incessantly, despite their blatantly inappropriate genetic heritage.
White trash. In the not too distant future your planet is going to be overrun by a horde of morons who think Walmart is stylish.
*Shudders*
The trouble is that all the intelligent people restrict their breeding to self-replacement - or less - while the others just keep pumping 'em out, brat after brat. What will happen when there are no more intelligent people left to run things? What will happen when the idiots who think Neighbours is quality TV are in charge of the TV stations? Oh, they already are. You see? It's happening already!
What's that? The film? Oh, all right, but don't forget: you have been warned!
End of innocence is a really tight little flick about football, friendship and life gone wrong. There's also a subtle undercurrent of barely restrained homo-eroticism of the kind that straight guys are too dull-witted to recognise, but it's neither here nor there unless you happen to like pointing out subtle undercurrents of barely restrained homo-eroticism to your straight friends.
Like most films involving teenagers and adults, the teenage actors out-do the adult actors with no troubles at all. They jump into their characters with an openness that lets all sorts of subtle undercurrents out into the light whereas the adults are still busy discussing motivations and sub-texts and trying to find their inner child. Peter Facinelli is hero and naïf all at once; being cute doesn't hurt either. (Is it just me or do all quarterbacks have to be good-looking? Is it part of the selection process to have potential quarterbacks inspected for good teeth and clear skin? That's something to ponder while on the train home after along day at the office.) Rodney Eastman is also cute (hey, this is Hollywood: good guys are always cute) but manages to hide most of it with long hair and acting. Tom seems to have a talent for playing white trash. For some reason I have alway confused him with John Bobbitt. There's something else to ponder.
End of innocence is a good movie that catches your attention and doesn't let go. The middle and the end are not always what you expect from a Hollywood film (which is a good thing) and keep you on your toes. You can enjoy its darkness any time you like.
Security censorship classification
M (Medium level violence, medium level sex scene, medium level coarse language)
Surveillance time
99 minutes (1:39 hours)
Not for public release in Australia before date
12 July 2000
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