“The Canyons”(2013) starring Lindsay Lohan and porn star James Deen is an emotionless and amateurish film by director Paul Schrader.
The film opening presents the viewer with pictures of abandoned and demolished cinema houses and theaters. A visual metaphor for a decline in film? If so, this film ably supports that thesis.
The first scene of the film introduces us to the major characters in the film. We see two couples seated in a restaurant talking about an upcoming movie and swinging.
James Deen as Christian is a movie producer and his long time companion Tara played by Lindsey Lohan are having dinner with his assistant and her boyfriend. The boyfriend has been cast in their low budget slasher movie.
The conversation is rambling and disjointed as Christian shows the group pictures on his phone of guys invited over for sexual pleasure. He freely discusses their sexual proclivities while at the same time demonstrating his arrogance and narcissism.
The movie doesn’t get any better as we learn Christian is a trust fund baby with too much time on his hands. He dabbles as a movie producer while inviting guys and couples to his house for sex.
There are some sex scenes in the film that prior to its distribution were hailed as ground breaking. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There is nudity and one dimly lit sex scene involving Deen and Lohan with a couple in a scene done many times.
The ultimate ending of the film is no real surprise. And for me, I had no feelings for any of these characters and the actors who seemed to be merely hitting their marks. It’s largely an emotionless film with horrible dialogue and acting.
Lohan who is a co-producer for the movie and Deen are both unremarkable in their roles .Lohan may want to go back to such commercial successes as “Herbie Fully Loaded”.
I give “The Canyons” a grade of one flip flop out of five on my rating scale.
Running time: 95 min.
Cast:
Lindsay Lohan as Tara
James Deen as Christian
Nolan Funk, Amanda Brooks, Tenille Houston, Gus Van Sant, Jarod Einsohn, Chris Zeischegg, Victor of Aquitaine, Jim Boeven, Phil Pavel, Lily Labeau, Thomas Trussel, Alex Ashbaugh, Chris Schellenger, Lauren Schacher, Diana Gitelman, Andres De La Fuente.
Crew
Directed by Paul Schrader. Screenplay, Bret Easton Ellis. Camera (color, HD, widescreen), John DeFazio; editor, Tim Silano; music, Brendan Canning; additional music, Me and John.
Smuggled Candy 