Driftwood (2006) User Reviews (18)

Do you feel worthless? Well, do you?

[Hey_Sweden · 6/10 · 9 August 2020]

Israeli-born actor Raviv Ullman ('Phil of the Future') here plays David Forrester, a morose kid who's been obsessed with death since his older brother, a rock musician, O.D.'d. His concerned parents (Lin Shaye, the "Insidious" series, and Marc McClure, Jimmy Olsen in the Christopher Reeve "Superman" films) send him to the title institution, which looks after troubled youths. However, when he gets there, authority figures such as the swaggering Captain Kennedy (wrestling icon Diamond Dallas Page, "The Devil's Rejects") order him to toe the line...OR ELSE. It turns out, they're VERY rough on their charges. Soon, David develops interest in the story of Jonathan (Connor Ross, "Headgame"), an inmate who'd supposedly perished in an escape attempt.

Granted, all of this is quite familiar stuff. And co-writer / director Tim Sullivan ("2001 Maniacs") doesn't have very many surprises in store for his viewers. "Driftwood" is occasionally atmospheric, but not very creepy *or* scary, as the story starts leaning on supernatural-horror elements. Some of the gore and makeup are good, but the visual effects are unimaginative. The characters - the inmates, anyway - are uninspired types.

All of that said, this was reasonably well made, and paced adequately, wrapping up in just an hour and a half. B flicks like this can't really be measured against mega budget Hollywood product, anyway, and this one proved to be watchable enough. It benefits from Ullman's decent lead performance, some sexy ladies (Baelyn Neff ("Kissing Strangers"), Kim Morgan Greene (a veteran of episodic TV)), and villains who offer the audience great thick slices of ham. Page in particular is an effective heavy. It's nice to see Shaye and McClure, as always. Familiar faces among the supporting cast include David Eigenberg ('Sex and the City') as the henchman Norris, and Cory Hardrict ("Warm Bodies") as Darryl.

At least this little picture shows that Sullivan can handle serious genre fare as well as he can a campier effort like "2001 Maniacs".

Six out of 10.

A great idea & important story but missing something!

[reeves2002 · 5/10 · 18 November 2007]

I was really disappointed that I didn't like this movie that much.From everything I read about it and by the trailer I thought it would be way better.It's a shame the budget was so low because I think it is an important story to tell.I also thought it was a great idea using the supernatural element for this movie but like another person said,it came across too much like b-movie acting.The only actor's I enjoyed the most who had any depth and emotion were "Raviv Ullman" and "Connor Ross" who played David and Jonathan. The film just seemed really rushed and it seemed like a lot was missing.After watching a few of the deleted scenes and alternate ending I decided that they should have included a few of those scenes and gone with the alternate ending instead.I liked the 1st deleted scene called "driftwood infomercial" but especially liked the scene called "dark daddy" because it showed a darker side to the captain by explaining his relationship with his daughter instead of just portraying her as a stupid whore.The alternate ending was more realistic and satisfying instead of just abruptly ending the movie because it doesn't seem finished.I think it was important for the viewer to have some kind of idea of what will become of the boys when they leave after that hellish ordeal.There could have been at least one more scene with David and his brother since they were so close.At the end of the alternate ending where the boys discuss where they are gonna go,Noah asks David where he is gonna go and he replies "i'm gonna go home",but he should have said "i'm gonna hit the road" instead just like what he told his brother,and because he and his parents don't see eye to eye and they were the idiots who put him in that jail like attitude adjustment institution. Another important part of the story that was left out was a scene that showed the ghost of Jonathan finally being put to rest. I think this movie would have worked better if it had been all horror and suspense and no comedy.It just would have been more believable and more respectful to kids that are stuck in or have survived those demented places to show it as all horror.If there ever is a director's cut then please at least include the "dark daddy" scene.That scene also has a cool shot of the photo and ghostly image of Jonathan that seems to disturb the captain.And for Chrissake's include the alternate ending for closure!

"Welcome to Driftwood... Where Boys Become Men"

[wannabkool_mate · 5/10 · 11 September 2009]

When I watched "Driftwood" on the chiller channel... I promise you it... actually shocked from the very beginning... 'til the end! It was full of chills and thrills... I trust guys...I know what talking about... it actually scared at times here and there, everywhere... Call me weird(or not) horror films to my best interest...knowledge "DON'T SCARE ME AT ALL!" Anyway, for my own opinion , I thought this movie was pretty good (decent) with all those visual and special effects the crew put up were without a doubt awesome... even though, most of you wouldn't agree more or at all! It runs smooth, pretty fast, at times edgy,like any horror/ horror/thriller does. It also struck or actually shocked me (and/or again not) was towards middle to the end of the film (Driftwood) when David Forrester(Ricky Ullman)learns and find real truth was behind unexplained and "maybe, just maybe incidental" murder and a ghost of Jonathan, that kept haunting David in nightmarish forms of visions and preliminary dreams throughout middle to almost the end of Driftwood and the kid whom Captain Kennedy( Diamond Dallas Page) killed just for pleasure...? Or actually probably for a reason? Evidently and without a doubt or question not. He did it 'cause he wanted to get rid of him...SOMEHOW (AND...HE DID)...and then again he paid for what he's done by seeing the ghost Jonathan in David... Give it a try, take a look, you might like it!

Grade B-, B, or B+ the most is A- STARS 10 out of 10

I Am Also Worthless

[claudio_carvalho · 3/10 · 4 February 2009]

After the death of his older rocker brother Dean of overdose, the rebel sixteen year-old David Forrester (Raviv Ullman) becomes bitter and obsessed with death, while grieving his brother. His parents decide to send him to Driftwood, a camp leaded by Captain Kennedy (Diamond Dallas Page) that promises to transform dysfunctional boys in men. David is lodged in the Level 1 and discovers that Captain uses brutality to control and modify the attitudes of the teenagers; further, that he uses the camp with the intention to make money in real state business. When David is haunted by the spirit of the Captain's nephew Jonathan (Connor Ross), who died in the swamp nearby Driftwood, he discovers a dark secret about his mates in Level 1 and the brutal Captain Kennedy.

"Driftwood" has a promising beginning, and the reformatory seems to be a teen version of "Prison Break" with corruption, sadism and brutality. However the plot is so absurd and ridiculous that, associated to the terrible acting, makes this movie completely worthless. Some reviews that give high ratings seem to be fake comments and published only to promote this weak movie and lure the readers. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Driftwood, o Reformatório" ("Driftwood, The Reformatory")

"Where boys become men."

[Backlash007 · 27 April 2008]

~Spoiler~

Driftwood is Tim Sullivan's directorial follow-up to 2001 Maniacs; and the films couldn't be more different. Maniacs is a hoot of a horror film. Driftwood is a bit of a bore. It's not a terrible movie, it's just not exactly horror. The film takes place within the walls of Driftwood, a prison for troubled young men that masquerades as a reform school. The ghost of a dead "inmate" starts to visit David, the new arrival, and tries to get him to solve the mystery of his death. It favors drama a lot more than traditional scares. The ghost only pops up a few times to remind you what type of movie this is. If you took the ghost out, you might think you were watching an updated version of Sean Penn's Bad Boys. The "bad boys" of this film all do surprisingly well. The young actors were all cast well and the standout is the lead. He has that Gyllenhaal/Donnie Darko thing going on. Also of note, Diamond Dallas Page, while not the greatest actor, still has tremendous charisma as the "heel." He plays The Captain, the film's lead villain who runs Driftwood. I hope DDP continues to hone his craft as I'd like to see him in more things. All in all, Driftwood is a bit forgettable. On the other hand, it shows Tim Sullivan is trying to do different things within our genre.

Not much of a fan

[khilari · 3/10 · 22 September 2007]

The movie clearly hits home with some people, but for me I'm afraid it missed the mark.

From the outset the acting appeared somewhat B-movie-like. Some characters overacted, the script felt unnatural and some of the lines spouted were just clichés from a phrase book.

The lead guy was OK - his acting was clearly what the producers spent their money on. By no means an Oscar-winning performance, he did grab the spotlight but only really thanks to the quite terrible acting around him.

The story is OK - that's all though, "ok". Not great, not inspiring. Nothing new. I only just made it to the end but constantly wished it could have been forwarded.

Seeing as most people here seemed to enjoy it, I can hardly tell you to stay away but it is in no way shape or form a great movie.

Driftwood

[Scarecrow-88 · 5/10 · 2 August 2010]

David's brother's overdose caused the young man to produce blogs about suicidal thoughts which gets him sent by his worried parents to a boy's institution ruled with nasty authority by "The Captain"(Diamond Dallas Page). A restless spirit lurks about and it could have something to do with a "gauntlet" ritual where The Captain sends a boy to be punished through a rigorous series of obstacles while throttled with clubs by the young men of his ward. The Captain's own nephew, it seems, come up missing while in the middle of an attempted escape due to the swamp which surround Driftwood. Meanwhile, David(Ricky Ullman) must endure constant scrutiny and harassment at the hands of not only the Captain but his staff and the boys of the ward. Uncovering the reason behind the ghost he continues to see could be David's chance to expose the Captain and his corrupt leadership. DRIFTWOOD reminded me of many of the Asian "Onyro" flicks where a past incident, a covered up crime, produces a spirit of the victimized seeking peace through the downfall of the killer(s). The movie introduces us to a protagonist who will help the spirit find retribution. Diamond Dallas Page uses a Southern accent and knows how to play menacing slime. We know the moment Page's Captain first appears on screen he's not Mr. Goody Two Shoes. Through David's experiences, we get a first hand look at how Driftwood is operated. Page has the kind of grin that contains all kinds of sinister behind it. Tame compared to something like BAD BOYS, DRIFTWOOD shows troubled youth further tainted by a despicable leader who takes advantage of their difficult pasts to fulfill his own agenda of control. You can often spot Jeremy Lelliot(as tormented homosexual Noah, the only ally David seems to have)in low budget horror or on television. Baelyn Neff is Captain's sexy daughter Myra, whose seductive nature can be very helpful as an informant for pops. Ullman spends most of his time morose and sullen. Director Sullivan is probably best known for 2001 MANIACS, starring Robert Englund.

Surprised by this film.

[soulscour7 · 7/10 · 7 January 2007]

I saw Driftwood Saturday at the Fango Weekend of Horrors. At first I thought Ullman would just pull off some low-end Disney acting, but he was actually very good. You can see a smoldering in his eyes that I didn't expect him to be able to emote at all. Also, he gets to use his real name for the credits in this movie, Raviv. The poster still shows Ricky though.

My expectations were low for Diamond Dallas Page, but he was good. Oddly, I thought the scenes in which Page didn't speak a lot were better than the ones in which he did. But if he can keep getting better than you never know.

Driftwood is NOTHING like 2001 Maniacs. I tried not to think about Maniacs when I went in to see this movie. I didn't need to bother. I wouldn't think Driftwood was by the same director as Maniacs if I had gone in blind. The movies are vastly different in approach and feel.

I have some fun facts for this movie I am afraid to put in here because they might mildly spoil the movie. I do suggest seeing Driftwood. A good ghost story with multi-layered social commentary. The acting is much better than I think most people expect from a B film so don't let that be a deterrent.

not great

[kakoilija · 3/10 · 24 January 2008]

not great nothing new.

ghost looked like a mask for 2 dollars for Halloween.

production value is OK compared to the budget...

i got bored, and had to fast forward to get to end, which was well untouching.

some of the production team members are writing comments of praisal, and giving 10/10 ... we'll those people suck.

a a a

not the worst... but definitely NOT a good movie. wouldn't miss anything by skipping this one.

Some depth for a B movie

[Gatetraveler · 7/10 · 17 September 2009]

I was a little apprehensive when I first saw the preview for this movie but it turned out to worth watching. David Forrester (Ricky Ullman) becomes obsessed with death after the over dose death of his rock star brother. His parents decide he needs to be a Driftwood a facility that is supposed to keep him out of Jail and straighten him out. In Driftwood He meets the usual cast of Characters The gangsta, the Ladies man, etc. He also meets Johnathan, a ghost who has a secret that could save them all.

The acting is a questionable at times but is due to many characters being one-dimensional stock characters. We learn during the movie David does not have a good relationship with his parent, and has unresolved guilt over his brothers death. We also learn Noah (Jeremy Lelliot) is here for being gay something the camp is supposed to cure you of. We also learn Noah and Jonathan were friends and he also wants his murder solved. It has a complete ending unlike some horror movies.

I wish they had spent more time on the dynamics of the relationships, and fewer 2 one-dimensional character otherwise it is worth watching. I think Ricky Ullman's acting is good, though his innocent look makes it difficult to see him as the brooding troubled teen (Remember this is Phil of the future from Disney). Diamond Dallas Paige gives a good performance as the greedy, sadistic warden of the facility, and Jeremy Lelliot is a bit underutilized as Noah.

what a cheesy piece of crap

[brian-2005 · 1/10 · 21 February 2010]

OK. This is just laughable garbage. Really not worth my time writing this, typically I'm the type that keeps negative opinions on films to myself because I still consider movies an artful expression. But I guess after a slew of garbage recently, I must draw the line. It's frustrating to see people with this vision in the driver's seat to make a film. Not to mention the director has a horror niche background. His biggest film to date, 2001 Maniacs isn't something to be too proud of either. Bigger budget.

Anyway, avoid at all costs. It's just laughable, corny, with some severe gay undertones.

Diamond Dallas Page was pretty decent, Talan from Laguna Beach is so awful. Why? Why, guys?

Very Good Low Budget Film

[Nightmare-Maker · 8/10 · 17 November 2007]

After just viewing the screener of DRIFTWOOD with a couple of mates, I was very impressed with this little known thriller. It had a pretty good storyline, a troubled teen, David, riddled over the guilt over his brothers death, he actually becomes obsessed with death. His misguided parents send him to DRIFTWOOD, an "Attitude adjustment camp for troubled youths" which is run by a sadistic Captain, played superbly by Diamond Dallas Page, and his brutal young henchmen. Once inside the camp he becomes haunted by a spirit named Jonathan, a former inmate who met a mysterious end, David has to unravel the mystery in order to free himself from the sadistic camp. Great acting from a bunch of relatively unknowns, and a great script make this one of the great finds of 2007, believe me if you like to sit and get stuck into a film, not expecting blood and guts, but a good suspense/mystery, this is a film you must watch. It reminded me a lot like STIR OF ECHOES. Strongly recommended 8/10

this movie wasn't that bad

[glddraco666 · 7/10 · 24 December 2010]

I really don't understand why people bashed this movie. Perhaps it wasn't a huge budget and not a huge amount of special effects. I think over all it was actually a decent movie. Sure it didn't have huge actors that were great but I feel the acting was very good for what they had. Now maybe it could have been better made. Some have criticized it for being unoriginal or formulaic but what is really? Most movies in general are based off another concept that has been done many times before.

Not every movie has to be a blockbuster for it to be a good movie in my opinion. Some moments were a little dull and were unbelievable but it wasn't completely unrealistic or unreasonable to just stretch your imagination some. After all its just a movie.

Dread Central reviews Driftwood

[reelcobra-1 · 10/10 · 21 January 2007]

Driftwood is probably the first indie horror movie for teens! The pacing of the film, coupled with the rock music found in each scene, will remind you of a theatrical release with a 12- to 18-year-old target market in mind. That would stick if there weren't a whole lot of cursing. Does that make it PG-13? When we discussed the film with director Tim Sullivan, he did drop the title The Outsiders from time to time, comparing his crew of boys to the now classic film cast. The comparison is definitely fair as the Driftwood crew deliver stellar performances that kept me in the moment by raising the level of reality every time they uttered a word. It's challenging enough to come up with a group of characters who are different enough to be individuals yet bond, however slightly, over a common situation. That is just step one. Next you have to cast people that can act for it to all be believable.

Driftwood is one part Holes, one part Cool Hand Luke, with a little dash of Stir of Echoes thrown in. The characters are engaging enough to make the time fly by. Tim Sullivan presents a story of desperation wrapped around a study in fear, whether that fear is of a physically imposing authority figure or a supernatural being. The walls of Driftwood hold more than one dark secret, but revealing them could mean the death to all who know. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

Be sure to watch out for Driftwood when it comes to your town during its limited release and support well written, well executed independent movies! We need a lot more like them.

Visit Driftwood for a real movie!

[davidhutch007 · 8/10 · 25 November 2007]

First let me compliment Tim Sullivan for making one of my favorite horror films, 2001 Maniacs, the film was funny and well Robert Englund, need we say anymore really? So after seeing Maniacs my next question was how would Tim follow the film up, the answer is Driftwood.

I'm not going to go into the story, thats what the plot outlines for, however what i will say is this is a really nice original horror film that stands out and brings a real smile to my face. Tim has crafted a film which is really about teen angst, how teens deal with that and how they're pressured by the people they are asked to respect, adults.

Ricky Ulman is brilliant, make no mistake he plays his role to the bitter end and never lets his grip on the material go. He brings a real gritty attitude that plays so well it almost feels like your watching real life, he really is that good.

Diamod Dallas Page also deserves a mention for playing the bad guy to the baddest of bad. He comes across as nice at first glance and then once he's crossed, he's total bad ass! Tim Sullivan has once again done it for me, he has written and directed a beautiful film that in my opinion should be seen by as many people as possible. The film plays out with such nice pace, a real good set of characters and a great amount of suspense created by our brilliant director! All i can say Tim is well done and make sure to keep making one of these types of film every so often because they really work! Overall there was nothing i really had a problem with, the acting, the writing, the directing, all of them were on par and certainly had an appeal where i couldn't be drawn away from the screen.

Please whatever you do, go and watch this film, its such a fantastic effort i couldn't help but in some way feel better for seeing it, it brought a real smile to my face and it takes some doing believe me.

So all i'll say is if your a lover of film, independent film then go and watch this, because the passion and the talent are all in abundance in this film. That is for sure!

Great Indie Horror meets Social Commentary!

[angelwriter123 · 10/10 · 21 September 2008]

I wasn't sure what to expect from Driftwood. There were no trailers to go by and I resisted reading reviews as they are usually biased against real horror. All I really knew is that it was directed by Tim Sullivan and starred Raviv Ullman. I should start by saying that I've been a fan of Raviv's since he was still Ricky. I used to watch Phil of the Future, even though I was 19 when it premiered. I know that isn't a reason to like a movie, but it does help.

The main reason I like Driftwood is the story. Ullman plays David, a 16 year old boy who is sent to an "attitude adjustment" camp after the death of his older brother. It is soon evident that the camp is more about punishment than reform. As David struggles to adjust to the harsh conditions, he is haunted by visions of a former Driftwood resident. He soon discovers that the boy's death was not an accident, and that solving the mystery may be his only way out. I was in middle school when Columbine happened and in high school for 9/11. I'm a part of the generation that had their world crumble down around them and then tried to build it back up. Our school had bomb threats that lead to metal detectors and security cameras. I knew kids like the residents of Driftwood, I was even friends with some of them, and I can tell you that most of them were just confused, adolescence does that. I've grown past that part of my life but I'm still close enough to remember what it was like. I have a nephew who is 16, he reminds me of David in a lot of ways. His parents freaked out when he started painting his nails black, dyed his hair blue and got his ear pierced, they weren't sure how to handle it. I knew it was just a sign he was a teenager. Last winter, in a fit of anger, he punched a wall and broke his hand. It scared me and his parents; luckily they are handling his issues in a better way, better than sending him away anyway. Driftwood is unique in that it takes on a real issue, the fact that teenage angst has become a problem to be solved not by love and understanding, but by punishment. The idea that a child should be sent away from something as simple as the clothes they wear or the gender they are attracted to, is a concept that should have gone out of style with the poodle skirt.

Back to Driftwood, this film is better than almost any studio film out there. The writing is outstanding, the performances are superb, the set isn't even a set, it was filmed at a closed down juvenile prison that was supposed to stay that way but didn't. Another sign of how important this film's message really is. Driftwood is so chilling because it rings true to how we all felt in our adolescence; lost, alone, trying to sort things out when everyone seemed to be against us. Driftwood isn't a big budget movie, it doesn't claim to be. It doesn't have dozens of big name stars, it doesn't need them. Driftwood has what few films today have, it has heart. I love this film and if you give it a chance I'm sure you will too.

Two thumbs up!

[leanonshay · 8/10 · 8 January 2007]

This weekend I got to see this film at the Weekend of Horrors in San Jose, CA. I went in not sure what to expect and was surprised. If you are expecting gore, you will be very disappointed. This is not a zombie/slasher flick. If you are expecting a well written story with great acting and suspense, you are in for a treat. This is a ghost story. And not an average terrible person died and became a ghost who destroyed people. This is the complete opposite. It is someone wrongly killed wanting to bring justice. While the movie is not one that I would typically have the opportunity to see, I really enjoyed it and look forward to seeing more from the director and actors!

Impressive!

[jeffmach · 8/10 · 8 February 2007]

Not having known Tim's work beforehand, I was stunningly impressed with "Driftwood". Since I like both "Beth" and "Shout It Out Loud", I'm really looking forward to checking out his other work.

"Driftwood" resonated strongly with its message on peoples' reactions to "Columbine" --and it's a fantastic movie. I think that there really has not been a strong response from our communities on what the post-Columbine panic meant for people who were growing up without "mainstream" interests.

I am greatly interested in other works by Tim Sullivan after watching this film.