Time Out Of Mind

In the experimental film "Time Out of Mind," actor and producer Richard Gere and director Oren Monerman eschew the conventions of Hollywood narrative filmmaking. The characters have unclear arches; the plot is a series of vignettes in a weekly constructed storyline; and scenes are shot in long takes wherein nothing much at all happens.

Some of these techniques can be unusually interesting and even appear realistic when they are championed by a film student. But when an A-list Hollywood celebrity uses them, they come off as unbelievably pretentious.

From the PSA and short (3-minute) featurette on this Blu-ray disk, we learn that Gere's goal is to bring awareness, expose the audiences to the growing problem of homelessness and particularly to the trials homeless people face every day.

The main problem with this endeavor is that the rom-com superstar has cast himself as the protagonist, a role in which he is completely unconvincing.

Gere plays George, an atypically handsome homeless man. (There is actually dialogue referring to what a hot homeless guy Gere happens to be.) And for 121 excruciatingly long minutes, George lays by the side of the road, drinks a lot of cheap alcohol and pees in the street, eventually working himself into the system and finding a place in a shelter.

The relationships George has with his estranged daughter (Jena Malone) and a gregarious ex-musician played by Ben Vereen are, in many ways, the most interesting part of this film. But they are insubstantial, poorly developed and fickle in their resolution.

The over-the-top background sound (meant to appear naturalist) is a further example of how artificially this movie has been constructed. If you're a fan of Richard Gere or movies that tell a story you'll want to pass on this one.

"Time Out of Mind"
Blu-ray or DVD
$29.98 (Blu-ray) $24.98 (DVD)
www.ifcfilms.com