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Written by Gregg Shapiro, Staff writer
Feb 10, 2012
Taylor Lautner stars in ''Abduction.'' – Photo: Courtesy
From ''Dirty Girl.'' – Photo: Courtesy
Among new releases in DVD this month are films that explore the teen scene.
'Abduction'
The once-promising filmmaker John Singleton has been on a steady decline since his breakthrough directorial debut "Boyz n the Hood." His latest work, the Taylor Lautner vehicle "Abduction," does nothing to slow his downhill slide.
A few days ago Nathan (Lautner) was just another hard-partying, high school wrestler in a form-fitting singlet. That was before he discovered a picture of himself from his childhood on a missing children's website while doing research for a sociology project with classmate (and potential love interest) Karen (Lily Collins).
Nathan is in the process of confronting Mara (Maria Bello) and Kevin (Jason Isaacs), the people he believed to be his parents, when his home is invaded by Eastern European villains. Not only are these bad guys with accents after Nathan, but so is a team of CIA agents, led by Burton (Alfred Molina).
While helping him escape the clutches of evil, Nathan's therapist Dr. Bennett reveals that not only is she his shrink but also one of his "keepers." Everyone, it seems, is trying to protect Nathan from the ruthless Kozlow (Michael Nyqvist). Kozlow is trying to get his hands on an encrypted list of people who have stolen or traded valuable intel, which just so happens to be in the hands of Nathan's birth father, rogue agent Martin (Dermot Mulroney).
This convoluted script might have worked better with a more capable director, not to mention a better cast of actors. Lautner, often in tight-fitting T-shirts (but rarely out of one) is easily one of the worst actors of his (or any) generation. Everyone else is completely miscast, including Sigourney Weaver. She delivers her lines as if she has just learned to speak again following a traumatic head injury.
If Lautner ever appears in a movie titled "Abdominals," watch it. But be sure to avoid "Abduction."
DVD special features include a gag reel, stunts and "making of" featurettes and more.
'Dirty Girl'
The well-intentioned, if flawed, "Dirty Girl," from out writer/director Abe Sylvia, unfolds as if the world's biggest John Waters fan wanted to write and direct an amalgam of "Thelma and Louise" and "Easy A" – and failed.
In the "man's world" of 1987 Norman, Okla., high school hussy Danielle (Juno Temple) sets out to prove that girls have more power, especially dirty girls. But her less-than-acceptable behavior regularly gets her sent to the principal's office. Exasperated by her unwillingness to conform to Oklahoma standards, the principal puts her in the "challenger" special-ed program.
There she meets gay, overweight, Melissa Manchester-obsessed, hoodie-wearing Clarke (Jeremy Dozier), who is doing his best to be invisible and avoid being sent to military school by his redneck father Joseph (Dwight Yoakam) and mousy mother Peggy (Mary Steenburgen). Paired up for a lesson in parenting, involving a sack of flour, Danielle and Clarke form an unlikely bond. Danielle, anxious to escape her own unpleasant home situation with single mom Sue-Ann (Milla Jovovich) and her Mormon boyfriend Ray (William H. Macy), goes on the lam with Clarke. Heading to Fresno to find Danielle's absent birth father, the teen transients encounter hot stripper Joel (Marquette grad Nicholas D'Agosto), who helps Clarke out with his virginity (for a price), and more than a few bumps in the road.
Promising but disappointing, "Dirty Girl" is too much (trash) talk and not enough action. This kind of thing has been done before and done better.
DVD special features include deleted and extended scenes, as well as commentary by writer/director Sylvia.
Other teen releases
Other teen tales on Blu-ray include "Dead Poets Society," from that late '80s/early '90s period where Robin Williams (as private school teacher John Keating) was making an effort to be taken seriously as a dramatic actor; and "The Art of Getting By," starring Freddie Highmore as unmotivated and depressed high school senior George.
