‘Lusting for Dust Words’

Director Tom Quinn’s first feature film transcends its amateurish atmosphere to tell a story with unique vision and a deft touch.Related Story:

Behind the Camera
By: Jim Boyle

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The unexpected arrial of Rachel (Aimee Kerrigan, rightt) forces runaway Chris (Toby Segal) to make some tough choices about his life in Lusting for Dust Words.


   Near the end of Lusting for Dust Words, I realized writer/director Tom Quinn had tricked me. Here, I thought, was a love story about two lonely hearts, when I was really watching an emotional drama about a family torn apart by death. Of course, quick reflection revealed it wasn’t really a ruse on Mr. Quinn’s part. In fact, he had set up the climax from the very beginning, but my Hollywood-ized brain wasn’t prepared for such deft storytelling.
   Shot on a budget that probably couldn’t afford shoestrings, Lusting for Dust Words manages to feel like a film, not a bunch of buddies messing around with a camera. The story’s arc maintains throughout the whole 80 minutes, never feeling bloated or burdened with unnecessary scenes.
   Themes of abandonment coarse through the film’s veins, as we are introduced to Chris, an 18-year-old who ran away from home after his mother’s death and has been living in the garage of an abandoned railroad station. His quiet existence is abruptly disturbed by the arrival of Rachel (Aimee Kerrigan), an outgoing high school senior who has no desire to follow the future her parents have planned for her and decides to run off. A quick introduction leads to Rachel moving in with Chris, sparking a relationship that becomes deeper than childish flirtation.
   Quinn transitions effortlessly from a romance to a story about a family trying to piece itself together. Rachel swoops in from nowhere, forces Chris to take a hard, honest look at his life, helps bring his family back together, then escapes. Her exit is a little too abrupt, with no real sense of closure, but it sparks the movie’s final act.
   The miniscule monetary resources and video footage gives the film an unavoidable amateur feel, but there’s no mistaking a true visionary at work. If you can look past the little flaws, you’ll be treated to a moving film that pays off emotionally. Technically, Mr. Quinn and his production staff put together some nicely edited sequences, especially giving the flashback scenes a distinct feel. One wonders what they could do with a multi-million-dollar budget.
   Where he really scores is with his talented cast, starting with Toby Segal as Chris. The Temple University theater major and Barrymore Award nominee carries the brunt of the film on his back, and handles it effortlessly. His movements and facial expressions betray a battle of emotions running through his brain. It seems at first that he wants to drift through life and allow things to happen to him, rather than take control. But deep down, there’s a sense that he wants that control back, and the only way to get it is through reconnecting with his family.
   The first attempt goes rather smoothly when Rachel urges him to call his younger brother, Jake. It’s been a couple of years since they talked, and Jake has grown quite a bit. The eighth grader now smokes cigarettes and talks crassly about girls, showing a personality that could have benefited from having a big brother around. Jamie Brickley works wonders with his character, easily becoming the most likable in the cast. His tough exterior hides a heart that felt just as abandoned as Chris did.
   It’s never really made clear why Chris ran away, just that he couldn’t get along with his father. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter anymore, because it’s in the past. What is important is forging a future that will heal the family’s wounds. The three men finally realize this truth, in a powerful scene that allows them to unload their pent-up frustration and forgive each other at the same time.
Not rated.
Lusting for Dust Words will screen at the County Theater, 20 E. State St., Doylestown, Pa., April 13, 7 and 9:15 p.m. Tickets cost $8, $6 seniors/students, $4.50 members. A question-and-answer period with Mr. Quinn will follow the film. For information, call (215) 345-6789. On the Web: www.countytheater.org. Lusting for Dust Words on the Web: www.stationhousefilms.com