Rent For Ellen (2012)
3.2 of 5 from 75 ratings
1h 30min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Aspiring rock star Joby Taylor (Paul Dano) finally agrees to sign divorce papers with his estranged wife but discovers he is about to forfeit all custody of his six-year-old daugher Ellen. Even though he has never been in his daughter's life, Joby suddenly realises he's not ready to give up his right to fatherhood. Aided by his good-natured lawyer (Jon Heder) he sets across a wintry U.S. landscape to try and see her before it is too late.
- Actors:
- Paul Dano, Margarita Levieva, Jon Heder, Peter Roberts, William Roberts, Julian Gamble, Dakota Johnson, Ronald Walter Mandigo, Mara Pelifian, Shaylena Mandigo, Jena Malone, Mike Almond, Gabrielle Bergeron, Bonnie Lucia, Robert Jordan, Shannon Jordan, Alycia Kassian, Andrew Kassian, Heathr Anne Schwendner, David Zwighuizen
- Directors:
- So Yong Kim
- Producers:
- Jen Gatien, Bradley Rust Gray, So Yong Kim
- Writers:
- So Yong Kim
- Studio:
- Soda Pictures
- Genres:
- Drama
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Reviews (3) of For Ellen
Good vehicle for Paul Dano - For Ellen review by CW
Small quiet movie, a character study. All focus is on the young rock star wanna be played to perfection by Paul Dano. He is the kind of actor who after seeing him in one movie you think I want to see everyone he has beein in. He is in every scene. Two moments stood out for me. The first was is lip syncing dance to a song on the jute box that reveals all his hopes and dreams to be the star he will never be. He’s got all the right moves but will never make it. Next there is a touching scene with his daughter - he is allowed two hours alone with her. She asks, “why didn’t you ever come to see me.”. He struggles to find a real answer. She is already more mature than he will ever be. He is a sad loser. The most beautiful moments in his life seem to be the brief time with his daughter he never contacted before, never thought about until it was too late.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
How to make a film without a story - For Ellen review by AR
If the nub of a story is transformation - the lovers find each other, the hero wins through, the poor boy makes good - then this film quite lacks a story. And the director's attempt to 'artify' his creation with long, lingering shots of dreary snow scenes with the occasional car crossing the screen doesn't work for me. Try it if you like, but I'm not going to bother again!
1 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Slow, portentous, self-indulgent - For Ellen review by AH
Took ages to get going, gave up after half an hour. Don't bother- not sure how its in Guardian 10 best films of 2013
0 out of 2 members found this review helpful.