whatmotivatedmeuptothenewdirector'sfestivaltocatch'martinfrost'tonightwasthebrutalreviewthatitgotyesterdayfromtheleadcriticofthenewyorktimes,brutaldismissal,tobemoreaccurate,'thelesssaidabout(it)thebetter',shesaid,andifiguredthatanymovieabletoteachMsDargisthevirtueofsilenceforevenafewcolumnincheswouldbeworththetrip. andworththetripitwas.wearebroughtintoaparadiseoflimpidlybeautifulvisualtextures.theoakenrhythmsofacountryhouseensconcedinaspringtimeparklandofluxurianttreesandluminousskiesbestowthesoothingnaturalblessingneededbythemaincharacter,martinfrost(DavidThewlis),awriterrubbedrawbythemechanicsoffinishinganovelinnewyorkcity.(Thewlismakespalpablethecasualtyofintrapsychicmachinerysawedintodaemonicreverbagainstthebanausichive).thenparadisemorphsintopurgatory,leavenedcomedically,inDante'ssense,bythepostmodernangelicvisitationsofClaire(IreneJacobs)andAnna(SophieAuster). unfortunately,tomytaste,theverbaldimensionsofthefilmareflaccid,thelogicmorefancifulthanimaginative,thenarrativearccrippledbysomeirredeemablycreakyplotting,especiallyatthecrucialinitiationoftherelationshipbetweenmartinandClairewheretheseedsofcommonsensearethrowntothemagpiesoftheatricality. butsobeguilingisthewillfulvulnerabilityofauster'sfantasy,andtheedgyinterplaythatitpotentiatesbetweenThewlisandJacobs,andthecamera,andlaterSophieAuster,andthebroadcomedyofaruraleveryman(MichaelImperioli),thatitisverypleasanttobecarriedalongonthevisualfoamofuncertainsensualdelight,eddyingintoafeelingthatthisfilm'soddlylouchelighttouchisuniquelyadeptattracingsomegravelineamentsofthehumanheart. goinnocently.