Coastlines (2002) User Reviews (19)

good start to mid. and stupid in the end.

[afterdarkpak · 6/10 · 18 August 2020]

Well the cast is really decent for this production quality . with some decent performance. and somehow OK plot. its not that new. there are some 90s VHS movies with same kinda plot.

Love triangle between old friends. maybe ok . but love triangle after marriage ? not ok . not cool n decent. and the way movie ends ? its not very unrealistic.

how?

----------------------spoilers--------------

so a married couple, and even a happy married couple. when an old friend came to their lives, and feelings starts because that man has or had a crush on wife long time ago. and she does too, so she drops her panties when man tries to get into it. and she regret later or not. both have feelings for each other.

so in the end husband n wife reconcile each other and then another man also be happy together with them ? really? . husband knows that his best friend scrwed his wife n both have feelings and still ok with it in end? because it wont happen again ? .. nahhh... it doesnt happen in reall life.

Strange ending

[vincewkp · 7/10 · 15 October 2019]

It amazes me how many people think this film ended with the husband and wife coming together and him realizing that he had to be more active with her to resolve their issues. As if it was his fault she couldnt stop banging his best friend. If you listen carefully to the dialogue between them when he finally comes home. Being happy with just the two of them wasnt enough. Im left with the only logical conclusion that when he tells her betraying friend that he didn't have to leave town. He was willing to accept being a cuckold in order to keep his wife happy. And to turn a blind eye to the resumption of her infidelity. Thats not the kind of resolution that most of us would accept, but then again this is holy wood

A well paced and immersive character drama.

[The_Centurion · 6/10 · 12 February 2014]

'Coastlines' is a film that draws you in with superb character development. It takes a methodical approach allowing the players on screen plenty of space to grow their characters. Through the first parts of the film I was riveted; not by flashy Hollywood gimmicks, but through the purity of each actor's performance and their course through the story.

The progression through the middle of the film maintains this steady hand, and we are introduced to branching story lines which keeps the viewer guessing at what's coming next. Is this a revenge film? Is it a story about friendship, or perhaps a story of betrayal? It never becomes clear as to what 'type' of movie you're watching, and this leads to a sense of anticipation as the film is rarely predictable.

I was waiting for some kind of dramatic conclusion near the end, or more appropriately, I was pondering what judgments the film would make on the morality of its characters. 'Coastlines' never makes any bold statements to this effect, however, besides perhaps the thematic allusions to unconditional love. The story takes a foray into complex adult themes without finding a coherent resolution, and I feel this was the bridge too far for 'Coastlines'.

If you are a patient viewer who appreciates the nuances of finely wrought character development then I encourage you to see this film... and draw your own conclusions.

Disappointing Despite Nunez's Typically Sublime Film-making

[Nick_Dets · 27 July 2007]

Victor Nunez is on par with a lot of directors who use their surroundings as their muse. Like Scorcese with New York, Mann with L.A., or Shamalyan with Pennsylvania, Nunez builds his stories around an area he knows well: east coast Florida. His masterpiece "Ulee's Gold" used the enchanting backdrop of Orlando's peaceful outskirts to build on the emotional aspects of its main character Ulee. The movie came alive from Nunez's subtle, but powerful focus on atmosphere, character nuance and rich symbolism.

It's disappointing that his follow-up "Coastlines" (which completes his "Panhandle Trilogy") had some of those elements in tact, but failed to use them effectively. The story is about a young man named Sonny (played by a well-cast Timothy Olyphant) who gets released from prison to a home town that has grown up without him. He gets back in touch with his old friend Dave, who is now a police officer and married to Sonny's old crush Ann. Simultaneously, he deals with unsettled issues from his old mobbed-up employers.

From that story come some potentially engaging themes like revenge, jealousy, nostalgia, disenchantment and betrayal. However, disappointment quickly sets in when the scenes become more and more dull. The screenplay was written before "Ulee's Gold," and is extremely similar, with many characters and back stories almost exactly mirroring those of the previous film. "Coastlines" brings nothing new to the table, and has no energy with the subject matter at hand. As the movie moves on, it becomes hard to shake the feeling that Nunez had run out of inspiration.

What the movie lacks despite energy is originality. The movie contains plenty of drama, but there is nothing happening that hasn't been done better in other movies. What Nunez needed, in order to transcend the clichés, was the rich undertones and subtexts that made "Ulee" so engrossing. Nunez needed another layer of depth to give weight to all the things going on in his story.

There is no doubt that Victor Nunez is an excellent independent director. However, that doesn't excuse the fact that "Coastlines" is a movie that simply didn't need to be made.

Decent film- predictable females disappoint

[dinatekno · 6/10 · 21 March 2021]

You can tell this film was written by a straight male. Dave's wife is a shallow woman. She plays mind games, lies to herself and betrays her husband. She insults and demeans him for being a loving husband and father because she is attracted to the bad boy. If not for this awful, stereotypical portrayal of a married woman, I'd have enjoyed this film more. Exploring the dangerous dynamic with the Vance's would have made this a much more complex film.

Laconic small town drama

[NateWatchesCoolMovies · 7/10 · 11 May 2016]

Victor Nunoz's Coastlines is a nice small town drama with some top players all giving fine work, causing me to wonder why more people haven't heard of it, and how come it didn't get a wider release. In any case, it's low key and really captures the quaint rural vibe of less densely populated areas in the states. The cast is absolutely to die for, consisting mainly of very distinct, frequently garish actors who all play it dead straight and relaxed, which is a huge switch up for most of them. Timothy Olyphant plays Sonny Mann, an ex convict recently released from prison, quietly arriving back to his Florida hometown, and the dregs of the life he left behind. His Pa (the ever awesome Scott Wilson) is conflicted by long simmering resentment, and the love for his son buried just beneath. Sonny reconnects with his best friend Dave Lockhart (Josh Brolin), who has become the town's sheriff in the years gone by. Sparks fly between Dave's wife (Sarah Wynter) and Sonny, creating a rift between the two and illustrating Sonny's unavoidable knack for creating trouble for himself, and those around him. Further tension comes along when the town's local crime lord Fred Vance (William Forsythe at his most genial and sedated) tries to strong-arm Sonny into assisting with nefarious deeds, using his younger brother Eddie (Josh Lucas) to convince him. Even when tragedy strikes and these characters go head to head, it's in the most relaxed, laconic way that permeates southern life. Robert Wisdom has a nice bit, Angela Bettis shows up as a girl with a thing for bad boys, and watch for the late great Daniel Von Bargen as the local Sheriff. This one fits nicely into a niche that leans heavily on small town drama, dips its toes ever so slightly into thriller territory, and is a charming little piece that's worth a look to see these actors on an acting sabbatical.

nice performances by everyone except the writer

[rsternesq · 4/10 · 14 April 2008]

Well, the actors did well. The men are all really easy on the eyes and the women look better than real people ought to. The camera work is pretty good and overall values (filmwise) are more than respectable. The message here is that male bonding trumps love. Well, here's a bit of a news flash. It doesn't work this way. Men can and do love each other in all kinds of ways and some men love women but not in this way. The end is more than an effort to tie up the loose ends. it tries to make a STATEMENT. The statement is wrong. Go watch Wuthering Heights, take two aspirin and watch Coastliners once more. Then it will seem pretty obvious that the old saying isn't "greater love hath no man than to lay down his wife for his friend." I for one understand the lag in releasing this. They should have redone the ending and maybe it wouldn't be so hard to remember the actual quote, "greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friend."

Could have been so much better

[spitfire1210 · 6/10 · 20 October 2017]

The dangers of having a narcissistic love one in your life are dramatically portrayed in Coastlines. Be it a relative or a close friend, having a totally self absorbs person close to you (or your family) can be devastating beyond belief.  Sonny's exploitation of Dave and Ann's relationship problems for his own gain coupled with zero sense of how destructive his actions will be to Dave, Ann and the children clearly show how "having" the wrong people around you or your family can ruin your lifes. The movie did a great job portraying this. Dave's decision to bring a "bad apple" like Sonny into his family was a dangerous decision that he even repeats at the end of the movie. Having sex over and over and over with Sonny showed Ann's desperation to escape the sacrifices of being a good parent and spouse. Leaving the "real' life one is in for a criminal with sweet talk and looks demonstrated how short sighted Ann really was. With hotter and more involved sex scenes and a better ending (maybe one where Dave forgives Sonny but has Sonny leave town forever) would have made this movie more enjoyable to watch and more believable. Bringing your best friend who's life is a mess and is banging your wife back home with open arms is not believable. Nice try but came up short in believability.

Tim and Josh can't save this hokey mess

[Xavier_Stone · 2/10 · 1 February 2024]

This is a hokey movie. Somewhat predictable and other parts just strange and make little sense. Maybe the audience was an after school high school kids PSA or something, but as an adult it doesn't flow whatsoever.

Con gets home and attempts to settle old scores, or something. Flirts with a few girls. I don't think I missed anything. Some of the 10star reviews are downright silly trying to persuade the reader into thinking this is some master piece. Victor Nunez is a low budget film producer doing the best within his means.

Put all the silliness aside, there still has to be a coherent story in there somewhere. I'm all for indie min budget films, but there has to be something interesting to watch. Perhaps choose your scripts more carefully, and if you fall asleep reading them think about passing on them.

simplistically engaging

[mbodle · 6/10 · 30 July 2006]

while characters were stereotypical, i allowed a distance cuz i' ve spent quite a lot of time time in the locations. Moments of recognition weren't validated by level of script, although enjoyable for noir-ish elements, but too-oversimplified and limited. Folks in small towns know everything about each other (Appalachicola/ Carabelle, FL) but this script didn't provide the full sense of community or shared knowledge.

There was a broadened sense of family but only in a limited way. Characters were broad and not too realistic. Saw the director's premiere of "Gal Young'un." Without a world-class writer (Rawlings) a possibly-limited was further limiteda. Yet, a simple (overly?) engaging tale with some lovely cinematography. Miami Vice crossed with The Yearling?.\

Great drama! Nunez - a 'character architect'...

[zaenkney · 10/10 · 7 November 2010]

I recently became a fan of Timothy Olyphant after watching the new series "Justified", one of the best programs on FX or any other network. Fortunately, he does not disappoint in "Coastlines", not one little bit. Writer and director, Victor Nunez manages to confer a depth of character upon our protagonist that leaves us really caring what happens to him. In fact, even the children are gifted with personas that make them memorable.

Sonny is a rather tragic fellow just returning home from a three year prison stint, hoping to start over. His relationship with his father is ambiguous on a good day. The affection between them is obvious, but his father just seems compelled, whenever he opens his mouth, to say something disparaging about Sonny. Unfortunately, his resolution towards a quieter life is marred slightly by unfinished past business gone bad. Nunez brilliantly culls these moments and experiences to lay open the finely nuanced aspects of Sonny's character, allowing us to really see into his soul.

The music chosen for this movies is so very apt to the spiritual threads throughout. We hear some Jazz, Blues, Zydego and the movie ends on the laid back, go-with-the-flow of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Call Me The Breeze". So apropos!

While some have criticized Dave's (Josh Brolin) kindness to Sonny after he misappropriates certain family valuables, so to speak, I came away with a totally different perspective. I grew up in churches that taught, repeatedly, the concept of unconditional love, yet not often have I witnessed it. The camaraderie that Sonny, Dave and Anne had formed over so many years was closer than blood. Indeed, there had to be rules and boundaries, but forgiveness, upon remorse, was a given. In conclusion, the good guys were flawed, yet they were heading in the right direction and the bad guys were heading in the correct direction. Love it!

saw at sundance premier with josh...

[justnicestuff · 7/10 · 1 January 2006]

i drove josh for 5 days at this sundance film festival premier... he scored a nice seat for me to watch this film when i dropped him off at the theatre... i loved this movie too, hopefully it will be available soon... there were some slower parts, as there are with all movies, but it was paced very well overall and the anxiety intended was portrayed very nicely by the actors involved... i wouldn't say it was fantastic, but it was definitely a well written, well acted script with some crazy twists in plot that kept me wondering what the hell would happen next - those movies i like... and sarah wynter, come on already - what a sweet woman with a wonderful Aussie accent and personable spirit... josh is a great guy also, down to earth, funny, talented, and a wonderful person to work for...

Excllent movie. Underrated

[mboyd1986 · 10/10 · 13 December 2011]

I am so glad that I found this movie! I agree with reviewer ejlabolton that this is an "unexpected treat".

I became a fan of Timothy Olyphant after watching Hit-man and Justified. So I started trying to watch all of his movies. This one is excellent.

I don't know why this is not more well known or more highly rated. The acting is good, the story is believable and the ending is perfect. I don't want to give away any of the plot so won't go into details, but the characters seem real and draw you in to their lives.

This film is a real gem and I hope more people can find it and enjoy it as much as I did.

Coastlines

[bad_robot_13 · 10/10 · 14 December 2005]

COASTLINES, a Victor Nunez film Timothy Olyphant Josh Brolin Sarah Wynter Angela Bettis

(the following contains no plot spoilers, only commentary on performances and general tone)

Someone's certifiably insane. Why this movie was never released is inexplicable. It portrays a complex intermingling of the relationship between three people with some close to startling revelations that lead to the ultimate resolve of their feelings.

What is not surprising, having seen all of his post and previous work, is Tim Olyphant's flawless portrayal of Sonny Mann. Like his warm honey voice, Tim's seamless performance slides across the screen with a subtle but decidedly dangerous undertow. He plays Sonny quietly with a couple of notable exceptions when that unmistakably sensed volcano just under the surface throughout erupts, yet with an amazing control. It's Tim's control that conveys the feel of Sonny's quiet and determined desperation without skipping a beat and meshes his tentative yet confident tenderness effortlessly into the character. Tim doesn't let you escape knowing, with brilliant understatement at times, that Sonny has some already heavy baggage that gets a brick added to it. Tim is always accomplished at "throwing the looks" with those huge eyes, and being so completely present in any role he assumes that it reaches out, grabs you, draws you into the character, and absent any distraction from other actors draws you into the storyline simultaneously.

Credit is also due to Brolin and Wynters for the everyday believability seen in their characters. Angela Bettis's performance also falls neatly into that category, though I kept waiting for her to morph more completely into Juliette Lewis, but haven't bothered to figure out quite why that is yet - though it's probably a flashback to Lewis's character in Kalifornia.

The friendship between Sonny and Dave and his wife, Ann, is at first heartwarming but rapidly becomes disturbingly uncomfortable and tense, and oddly enough more so to the viewer than to the characters when the movie ends with a tentative resolve.

The almost too evenly paced plot is coherently interrupted five times, which is enough to save it from flatness; three times by physicals events involving Olyphant's character, and twice by dialog between Brolin and Wynter. The interesting thing is that the dialog shockers are at least as effective as the physical ones, and if Brolin's last deceivingly quietly delivered zinger in the storyline doesn't make you jump then you're in an alternate universe, or at the very least have the volume turned off.

The examined dynamics of love and friendship alone make this a worthwhile view. Then there's Tim Olyphant - more icing than any cake can handle.

An unexpected treat

[ejlabolton · 8/10 · 9 November 2008]

This movie impressed way beyond my expectations. My wife left shortly after the beginning of the first viewing but stayed throughout on a second viewing and rated it as a very competently produced movie with deeper meanings which we were able to discuss at length.

Without its excellent script, direction and acting the story could have descended into the realm of a daytime dreary. For a casual viewer inured to daytime drearies, perhaps that's all they'd gain from "Coastlines" but, unfortunately, they'd be missing out on much more.

In Australia, we live directly above a superb beach and are quite familiar with the coastal atmosphere depicted in "Coastlines". In its US setting, however there was a freshness and many local differences which were brilliantly depicted and thoroughly enjoyable. One of the film's visual highlights was an aerial depiction of potentially intersecting car journeys between husband, Dave, and his wife, Ann. The tension of them possibly meeting was dramatically underscored by the loneliness of the chosen roads and the flat coastal scenery. The cars do not meet however and the camera moves up the show the vast hinterland. This sequence quintessentially underscored what was happening to the characters. It was one of many just brilliant parts of the film.

Typical of the film's authenticity was detail such as Dave's competent night-time manoeuvring of an outboard-powered boat as he reversed it from its moorings and even the screen on its depth sounder being alight. A lesser production would have the craft just ready to zoom into the night.

A previous reviewer takes issue with Victor Nunez "sound design choices". I'm not quite sure what this reviewer's referring to but, if its the film's background music, I couldn't disagree more. Normally, I enjoy only classical music, but in this film, the predominantly percussive music score faithfully echoes the drama of the dialog. All this is done at a virtually subconscious level. It's incredible Experiencing such powerful sound being kept so unobtrusive is worth a separate viewing of the film just to appreciate this achievement.

The film's acting was also first class. I'm not familiar with any of the actors but any director who avoided giving the part of Ann to the ubiquitous Meryl Streep, playing Meryl Streep, is a friend for life. Sarah Wynter playing Ann was brilliant, not only in the subtleties of her facial expression but in the small detail of gesture such as rubbing her fingers on a fat lady's shoulder as she ushered her through a medical centre or in responding to the children in the film, including her own. A previous reviewer observes that Ann's character "is at first heart warming but rapidly becomes disturbingly uncomfortable and tense, and oddly enough more so to the viewer than to the characters when the movie ends with a tentative resolve." This is an excellent description of the character's emotional spectrum. For me one of the most memorably tense exchanges was where she challenges her husband with her infidelity. He counter replies, "Is that it then?"

There are truly many layers of meaning to examine in this wonderful movie. A well-earned eight stars!

A previous reviewer believes the two other movies in Nunez "Panhandle Trilogy" are superior to "Coastlines". It is difficult to believe this but they're certainly well reviewed. We'll look forward very much to obtaining copies and watching them.

See this movie

[rhopkins · 9/10 · 2 July 2006]

This movie seems to be in commercial release finally, and you should see it. It is a companion to Ruby in Paradise and Yulee's Gold, both by Victor Nunez, and has most of their virtues (and drawbacks, maybe -- for example, I don't like the sound design choices that have been made in any of these movies....).

The languid feel of the coastal towns from Carabelle to Apalachicola (Florida) is well evoked -- though the story could, I suppose, happen most anywhere. The three lead actors are all outstanding.

Many of the locales in which the film is set look very different today, after hurricanes Ivan (2004) and Dennis (2005), not to mention further commercial development.

I think this is a terrific movie-- and I wonder why it has not been released!!

[lotusranch · 30 June 2003]

I was in this movie, and I am terribly disappointed it is not available to the public-- not just because I am in it, but because it is well acted, written, and directed. Victor Nunez was lauded for his other works... why not for this one?

Filmed on the Forgotten Coast!!!!! Beautiful Franklin Co

[talquinmermaid · 8/10 · 27 May 2021]

Great movie. Filmed in Franklin Co. I met Josh Brolin. Daniel Von Bargen. Josh even came out to the American Cancer Society Fundraiser and visited with the Sheriff's Department team. Wearing our uniforms in the movie. . Franklin Co. The Forgotten Coast.

Another Hollywood contrived cuckold movie

[jleon25 · 16 December 2017]

Again, another movie from Hollywood reducing the American male figure into a pushover cuckold unable to stand up for his deserved respect as a man, father and husband. Is this how the entertainment media sees men in today? The Movie acting and setting are great, the writing is crap.

Here is a hard-working man, laying down his potential loss of life everyday as a Law Enforcement Officer. He is a great dad, a great husband. He is not abusive to his wife, isn't cheating on her, well until she confesses to him for screwing his best friend. Once the cat is out of the bag, his response is like nothing could ever be so unbelievable. He just accepts, his best friend, in his household almost as a hero for exposing his wife's boring life. I guess that's how you spruce up a bored wife's life in the entertaining industry, by letting your best friend jump on her bones, while you are at work. Maybe that's what life is like in Hollywood Universe, but for the rest of us, in the real world, crap like this doesn't end up in fantasy land. How about adjusting your moral compass in a better and honest direction, instead of trying to brainwash our society right down the drain.

How about showing what really happens when a wife is caught cheating on a husband and gets physically abused, if not outright murdered, after she is caught. How about showing the youth of today, there are consequences when you make bad choices?

How about teaching us to communicate in better ways before one partner takes a bad turn and try to fix a relationship before is becomes haywire and somehow you get this unrealistic ending?