could have been historic. re-edit please.

Rating: 6/10 (26 January 2009)

This film is quirky and fun, with outstanding visuals and the roundabout storytelling that is characteristic of Louisiana, where much of the film is set. The actors are outstanding, the premise is interesting and the cinematography is superb. The best parts of the film, in my view, are where the story jumps from one seemingly unrelated sequence to the next, until finally you find out how all the pieces connect. However, there are a few major issues that I think drop this film from outstanding to merely above-average.
First and most noticeably, the film seems to be interspersed with Forrest Gump moments, which (unlike the original Forrest Gump) do not seem to fit the storytelling style. The myriad historical references and ongoing catchphrases come off as forced and corny after awhile, because they are repeated ad nauseum by characters who are supposed to be evolving (or devolving) over time. Unlike Forrest Gump, this story is supposed to be about the evolution of a man and a woman, not the evolution of a country or the world. The film is not edited to reflect this. In addition, the 'man hit by lightning' subplot is never finished, and the story of the step-sister is given short shrift. Meanwhile, the film runs on for nearly three hours and loses its momentum every time someone stops to repeat a catchphrase or comment on a hummingbird.
This is still a good film, but it could have been SO much better.