It's 2009, and Los Angeles' last public park has just closed its gates, orphaning a retired history professor and the duckling who thinks the man is its mother.
The man is Arthur (Philip Baker Hall) a lost soul who's outlived his friends, his family, the era he understands, and his reasons for living. If the setup sounds hokey, the film is anything but: Nic Bettauer's peculiar, mesmerizing movie is filled with wry and gently rendered humanity, while its ecologically-minded message stops well shy of preachy.
After garnering awards at film festivals from Sao Paulo to Avignon, Duck just opened with limited engagements in New York and Los Angeles; a wider release is set for later this month.
written on Tuesday May 29, 2007
man,
duck,
movie.
