Review by Steve Rhodes
1½ stars out of 4
Cal (Billy Crudup from ALMOST FAMOUS) is driving his Volvo station wagon across
the country. A sad alcoholic, he visits most of the bars along the way.
Although his mental state leaves a lot to be desired, at least he is no wacko
like Dulcie (Julianne Moore from HANNIBAL), a passed out drunk that he rescues
from one of his many watering holes. But, like most of the people he meets, she
doesn't stay with him long.
Crudup and Moore's acting is okay, but Bart Freundlich's script and direction
for WORLD TRAVELER is as aimless as Cal's journey. Not only does Freundlich
give us little reason to care about his story, it doesn't even give us much
motivation to stay awake.
As a diner waitress named Delores, Karen Allen plays another of the strangers
that Cal encounters. Four-time divorcee Delores tells us, "I've come to think
of men as a temporary state of mind," and soon thereafter disappears permanently
from the story like one of the many telephone poles that pass by Cal's car.
The only interesting parts of WORLD TRAVELER are the lovely, snow-dotted
landscapes of America's heartland in winter and the same set of honky-tonk tunes
played in each of the bars.
"I can hardly make sense of it," Cal tells a bartender during one of his many
rambling, pointless conversations. And neither will you.
WORLD TRAVELER runs 1:43. It is rated R for "language and some sexuality" and
would be acceptable for teenagers.
Copyright © 2002 Steve Rhodes
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out of 4
