New Int'l. Release

Bomber

 (U.S. - U.K.)

By DENNIS HARVEY

A Boris Films (U.S./U.K.) presentation. Produced by Paul Cotter, Maureen A. Ryan. Executive producers, Frances Arnold, Cotter, Jorg Rheinlander, Anja Schlomerkemper. Directed, written by Paul Cotter.
 
With: Benjamin Whitrow, Shane Taylor, Eileen Nicholas.
 

Familiar in gist as a road-trip dramedy mapping the gradual warming -- or maybe not -- between exasperated Brit offspring and exasperating parent, Brit-Yank co-production "Bomber" nonetheless makes an immediately likable impression that deepens into poignancy. Impressive feature debut for writer-director Paul Cotter, who's made several well-traveled shorts, might be too small and unflashy to attract theatrical exposure. But it's sure to make more friends in continued fest travel and niche smallscreen sales while paving the way for the helmer's future endeavors.

An art-school graduate turned underemployed layabout, or so he feels, Ross (Shane Taylor, "Band of Brothers") isn't exactly joyful when a senior-moment driving mishap gets him drafted as chauffeur for his parents' long-planned trip to Germany.

Nobly, eightysomething dad Alistar (Benjamin Whitrow) wants to apologize to a village he'd accidentally dropped bombs on as an 18-year-old RAF flyer on his first mission during WWII. But Alistar is also an emotionally constipated wellspring of negativity who endlessly puts down his son and is hardly more sensitive toward long-suffering, forcedly cheerful spouse Valerie (Eileen Nicholas). Adding to the stress, Ross' unexpected absence on family business just might be the last straw for his already fed-up live-in girlfriend.

Once they arrive in the awfully quaint Deutsche hamlet -- after considerable conflict en route -- Alistar's planned penance doesn't have the cathartic result expected. His reaction, and Valerie's belatedly divulged dissatisfactions, push touchy-feely Ross into the role of martial counselor.

Yet Cotter ultimately resists going in the warm-and-fuzzy direction one expects, allowing for an ambiguity as to whether troubled long-term unions can be repaired or should be allowed to expire naturally, however unpleasantly. Even then, however, "Bomber" tastes less bitter than agreeably bittersweet.

Perfs by young and veteran leads alike are first-rate, as is the handling of the on-the-move production by d.p. Rick Siegel (a U.S. broadcast vet), editor Matt Maddox and composer Stephen Coates (of the Real Tuesday Weld, a cult U.K. one-man "band"), all feature-film debutants. Tech aspects are very good on a low budget.

Camera (color, HD), Rick Siegel; editor, Matt Maddox; music, Stephen Coates; music supervisor, Linda Cohen; production designer, Alex Ward; sound, Alex Lipschultz, Zach Seivers; supervising sound editor, J.M. Davey; casting, Manuel Puro, Jeremy Zimmermann. Reviewed on DVD, San Francisco, Oct. 26, 2009. (In Mill Valley, SXSW film festivals.) Running time: 84 MIN.