American Venus

American Venus is a strange, almost indescribable little movie that revolves around an uptight skating coach (Rebecca De Mornay’s Celia) whose life quickly spirals out of control after her figure-skating daughter (Jane McGregor’s Jenna) decides to quit the sport and move to Vancouver. Celia’s downward spiral worsens after traveling to Canada to be with Jenna, as her efforts to procure a firearm (and consequently vent her frustrations at a gun range) prove fruitless. Written and directed by Bruce Sweeney, American Venus unfolds at an exceedingly deliberate pace and initially plays like a low-key domestic drama, with the relationship between Celia and her increasingly irate daughter dominating the proceedings. Sweeney’s decision to shift the emphasis onto Celia’s efforts at tracking down a handgun prove to be less successful, as the distinctly off-kilter vibe ultimately prevents the movie’s emotional moments from packing the sort of emotional punch that the filmmaker is clearly striving for. (Celia’s arrival at a cathartic realization, for example, that garnered laughter at a screening.) De Morney’s superb, eye-opening performance is clearly the highlight here, and the movie’s mild success is undoubtedly due to her surprisingly strong work – though there’s little doubt that if Sweeney intended American Venus to come off as a gritty, authentic character study, he’s failed utterly and completely.

**1/2 out of ****