When a film sits on the shelves for an inordinate amount of
time before being unceremoniously released, there's a stigma attached to it.
Maybe the movie just wasn't very good. That's not always the case. It took four
years for Kenneth Lonergan's Margaret
to see the light of day because of disagreements between the director and the
studio over the final cut. The Cabin in
the Woods, written and produced by Joss Whedon, was delayed for two years
due to the financial trouble of MGM. Both pictures received strong reviews.
All the Boys Love
Mandy Lane was another horror film that underwent a long, arduous journey
to the silver screen. It debuted at the Toronto Film Festival in 2006 where it
was snatched up by Harvey Weinstein for $3.5 million, over four times the
$750,000 budget. However, Harvey and brother Bob disagreed on how to market and
distribute Mandy Lane. This, coupled
with initially poor test screenings, led to the Weinstein Company to sell the
rights to the German-based Senator Entertainment. Senator released the picture
overseas, but the company folded before they could do the same in the U.S. As
luck would have it, the rights to Mandy
Lane made their way back into the hands of the Weinsteins thanks to their
new distribution arm Radius-TWC.
Nobody really paid attention to Mandy Lane (Amber Heard)
until she blossomed over summer break. At this point, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane may be a more appropriate title. The
sweet-natured Mandy and her outsider friend Emmet (Michael Welch) are asked to
a pool party by hunky alpha male Dylan (Adam Powell). When his advances fail, a
drunken Dylan is convinced by Emmet to dive off the roof and into the pool to
impress Mandy. His foolhardy gesture leads to his death.
Nine months later, Mandy has been embraced by the in-crowd
while Emmet has been further ostracized, even by his former friend. Popular
stoner Red (Aaron Himmelstein) invites Mandy to his parents' cattle ranch along
with jocks Jake (Luke Grimes), Bird (Edwin Hodge), and pretty girls Chloe
(Whitney Able) and Marlin (Melissa Price). Despite being under the watchful eye
of handsome ranch hand Garth (Anson Mount), the kids consume plenty of alcohol
and drugs. The fun stops when a psycho with a shotgun begins picking them off
one by one.
It's easy to see why the Weinsteins had difficulty drawing
up a marketing plan. All the Boys Love
Mandy Lane isn't your typical hack and slash affair. The gorehounds won't
find enough gratuitous violence to satisfy their cravings, yet the movie
doesn't deconstruct the horror genre the way Cabin in the Woods or Scream
did. Screenwriter Jacob Forman does seem to find a happy medium. Mandy Lane conforms to the standard
tropes of teenage debauchery being punished by a mysterious killer. Still, it
doesn't feel like a horror movie at first, aside from the eerie prologue. With
its focus on the treacherous social dynamics of high school, Mandy Lane is clearly influenced by John
Hughes as much as it is by Tobe Hooper or Wes Craven. The rural setting and
grainy quality of the film recall Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Jonathan Levine, who would go on to direct The Wackness and 50/50, makes his directorial debut on Mandy Lane. Not bad for a guy who was working in a mail room at the
time. Levine had greater success melding horror with teen romance in Warm Bodies, but clearly displayed a
knack for capturing the sometimes painful experience of youth. His indie
sensibilities shine through even in the soundtrack with an eclectic selection
that includes the Go-Go's and 60's crooner Bobby Vinton.
Mandy Lane hinges
entirely on Amber Heard, who has gone on to high-profile roles in Pineapple Express, The Rum Diary, and Machete Kills. Of course, Heard is gorgeous enough to you believe every guy in
school wants to get into her pants. She also conveys a vulnerability that makes
her easy prey.
If John Hughes made a horror movie and shot it in the style
of Tobe Hooper with a dash of Terrence Malick, it might look a little like All the Boys Love Mandy Lane. It's about
time this low-budget gem found an audience.
Rating: *** (*****)
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