Merolliv
I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.
Billie Morin
This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows
Renee Moody
I wasn't sure what to expect from Driftwood. There were no trailers to go by and I resisted reading reviews as they are usually biased against real horror. All I really knew is that it was directed by Tim Sullivan and starred Raviv Ullman. I should start by saying that I've been a fan of Raviv's since he was still Ricky. I used to watch Phil of the Future, even though I was 19 when it premiered. I know that isn't a reason to like a movie, but it does help. The main reason I like Driftwood is the story. Ullman plays David, a 16 year old boy who is sent to an "attitude adjustment" camp after the death of his older brother. It is soon evident that the camp is more about punishment than reform. As David struggles to adjust to the harsh conditions, he is haunted by visions of a former Driftwood resident. He soon discovers that the boy's death was not an accident, and that solving the mystery may be his only way out. I was in middle school when Columbine happened and in high school for 9/11. I'm a part of the generation that had their world crumble down around them and then tried to build it back up. Our school had bomb threats that lead to metal detectors and security cameras. I knew kids like the residents of Driftwood, I was even friends with some of them, and I can tell you that most of them were just confused, adolescence does that. I've grown past that part of my life but I'm still close enough to remember what it was like. I have a nephew who is 16, he reminds me of David in a lot of ways. His parents freaked out when he started painting his nails black, dyed his hair blue and got his ear pierced, they weren't sure how to handle it. I knew it was just a sign he was a teenager. Last winter, in a fit of anger, he punched a wall and broke his hand. It scared me and his parents; luckily they are handling his issues in a better way, better than sending him away anyway. Driftwood is unique in that it takes on a real issue, the fact that teenage angst has become a problem to be solved not by love and understanding, but by punishment. The idea that a child should be sent away from something as simple as the clothes they wear or the gender they are attracted to, is a concept that should have gone out of style with the poodle skirt. Back to Driftwood, this film is better than almost any studio film out there. The writing is outstanding, the performances are superb, the set isn't even a set, it was filmed at a closed down juvenile prison that was supposed to stay that way but didn't. Another sign of how important this film's message really is. Driftwood is so chilling because it rings true to how we all felt in our adolescence; lost, alone, trying to sort things out when everyone seemed to be against us. Driftwood isn't a big budget movie, it doesn't claim to be. It doesn't have dozens of big name stars, it doesn't need them. Driftwood has what few films today have, it has heart. I love this film and if you give it a chance I'm sure you will too.
Backlash007
~Spoiler~Driftwood is Tim Sullivan's directorial follow-up to 2001 Maniacs; and the films couldn't be more different. Maniacs is a hoot of a horror film. Driftwood is a bit of a bore. It's not a terrible movie, it's just not exactly horror. The film takes place within the walls of Driftwood, a prison for troubled young men that masquerades as a reform school. The ghost of a dead "inmate" starts to visit David, the new arrival, and tries to get him to solve the mystery of his death. It favors drama a lot more than traditional scares. The ghost only pops up a few times to remind you what type of movie this is. If you took the ghost out, you might think you were watching an updated version of Sean Penn's Bad Boys. The "bad boys" of this film all do surprisingly well. The young actors were all cast well and the standout is the lead. He has that Gyllenhaal/Donnie Darko thing going on. Also of note, Diamond Dallas Page, while not the greatest actor, still has tremendous charisma as the "heel." He plays The Captain, the film's lead villain who runs Driftwood. I hope DDP continues to hone his craft as I'd like to see him in more things. All in all, Driftwood is a bit forgettable. On the other hand, it shows Tim Sullivan is trying to do different things within our genre.
jeffmach
Not having known Tim's work beforehand, I was stunningly impressed with "Driftwood". Since I like both "Beth" and "Shout It Out Loud", I'm really looking forward to checking out his other work. "Driftwood" resonated strongly with its message on peoples' reactions to "Columbine" --and it's a fantastic movie. I think that there really has not been a strong response from our communities on what the post-Columbine panic meant for people who were growing up without "mainstream" interests. I am greatly interested in other works by Tim Sullivan after watching this film.
reelcobra-1
Driftwood is probably the first indie horror movie for teens! The pacing of the film, coupled with the rock music found in each scene, will remind you of a theatrical release with a 12- to 18-year-old target market in mind. That would stick if there weren't a whole lot of cursing. Does that make it PG-13? When we discussed the film with director Tim Sullivan, he did drop the title The Outsiders from time to time, comparing his crew of boys to the now classic film cast. The comparison is definitely fair as the Driftwood crew deliver stellar performances that kept me in the moment by raising the level of reality every time they uttered a word. It's challenging enough to come up with a group of characters who are different enough to be individuals yet bond, however slightly, over a common situation. That is just step one. Next you have to cast people that can act for it to all be believable.Driftwood is one part Holes, one part Cool Hand Luke, with a little dash of Stir of Echoes thrown in. The characters are engaging enough to make the time fly by. Tim Sullivan presents a story of desperation wrapped around a study in fear, whether that fear is of a physically imposing authority figure or a supernatural being. The walls of Driftwood hold more than one dark secret, but revealing them could mean the death to all who know. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.Be sure to watch out for Driftwood when it comes to your town during its limited release and support well written, well executed independent movies! We need a lot more like them.
