COLUMBUS

Directing: B
Acting: B+
Writing: B
Cinematography: A
Editing: B+

Who knew that Columbus, Indiana, population 46,000, was a mecca for modern architecture? People who have seen Columbus know; several specimens of said architecture are featured in the film.

The population of Columbus the film is much smaller. It's mostly about a platonic relationship that blossoms under peculiar circumstances between a young woman only a year out of high school, Casey (Haley Lu Richardson), and a middle-aged man, Jin (John Cho), who has come to town to visit his Korean father who has gone into a coma. This father, who is only seen in the distance briefly in the opening scene, is himself a well-known architect who was slated to give a talk at the local library; Casey, who has an appreciation for her local architecture, was planning to attend the talk. She meets Jin only by chance, smoking cigarettes on either side of a fence.

Everyone smokes in this movie, incidentally. It's so rare to see it happening on screen anymore -- in movies or on television -- that I found it almost distracting. Nearly every scene shows one or more people smoking. Casey and Jin are smoking constantly. It made me wonder if this is a reflection of different smoking culture in the Midwest. As it happens, Indiana indeed has the seventh-highest percentage of smokers among U.S. states, 22.9% of adults. I've never been to Indiana, but to an outsider perspective, Columbus seems to have made an effort at authenticity to its setting.

I was moved by this film, although it's hard to characterize exactly why. It's easy to see it boring some people out of their minds. There's no particular action of any kind in it. It's not even the kind of movie that would be known as being dialogue-driven, although technically it is. This is a very quiet film, in a way I found sort of soothing. It seems just short of realistic, the way the characters always speak to each other in quiet, pleasantly measured tones -- even in the one scene where the two principal characters say hurtful things to each other.

The cinematography, by Elisha Christian, is the key element, and it beautifully showcases much of the local architecture the characters spend a great deal of time discussing. Otherwise it features in one way or another in the background as the characters face their particular predicaments. Jin struggles with handling the possibly pending death of a distant father. Casey resists opportunities available to her outside of town because she feels her recovering addict mother needs her too much.

Another treat: Parker Posey, the longtime darling of indie movies, as the architect-father's longtime assistant. Rory Culkin shows up as Casey's coworker friend with possibly unrecognized affections for her. The performances across the board are understated, but serve the story well. It all comes together to create an almost dreamlike sensibility. Without exception, they all speak softly. Only once does a character even briefly shout, and it's not a particularly key moment in the film, though it is important.

It's nice to see John Cho finally showcased as a leading man. Haley Lu Richardson has an almost celestial glow about her, and looks like she could be Jennifer Grey's daughter. These two have an unlikely chemistry that proves compelling, even as they talk about something as dry as architecture. I suppose if you enjoy quietly pleasant movies and have an interest in architecture, then this is a movie for you. I happen to fit that profile.

But, I would also argue this film transcends those parameters. This is a film about very different people who cross paths by chance and connect in a convincingly organic way. It's perfect counter-programming to the dumb noise otherwise found in the latest blockbuster.

Haley Lu Richardson and John Cho discuss all that's underappreciated in Columbus.

Overall: B+