All Rights Reserved. The perpetual teen film takes on a new direction with far more sobering, sometimes sweet, but over-sentimental tale of young love. Borrowing from staple fare such as the 1970s weepies Love Story and Sunshine , Here on Earth, the title of which stems partly from the poetry of Robert Frost, has some rather nice moments, but is ultimately simplistic and trite, to appeal to a cynical audience. Teenage girls, however, a largely untapped market, may warm to this tale of love, life and death, and the participation of an attractive trip of actors. The movie suffers from Michael Seitzman s wishy-washy script, one that is too obvious for its own good, and director Mark Piznarki , in his feature debut, milks the material for all its worth.
Performances are varied.
Chris Klein, resembling a young Keanu, shows as much dramatic range. His stronger co-stars overshadow him, beginning with Sobieski, who photographs beautifully, and conveys the right qualities for the fragile and poetic character she beautifully plays. Hartnett is a rare find, and will be seen later in The Virgin Suicides to better advantage, though here he gives a rather nice and intelligent performance in a simple character. There are some lovely elements in Here on Earth , and for its target audience, it s a welcome change from male-dominated teen dramas that flood the market. Male audiences will be turned off by the film s excessive sentimentality and consistent references to Frost.