Wilmington Memorial Library

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" 'The War" Starring Elijah
Wood, Kevin Costner, Mare
"Wlnnlngham, Lexl Randall.
Directed by John Avnet.
Written by Kathy McWorter.
Produced by Avnet, Jordan
Kemer. Rated PO-13.
1 Just as the road to hell is
often paved with good inten-
tions, so is the road to bad cine-
ma. "The War" is one of those
films that is rife, nay riddled,
'With simple truths.
Unfortunately, they are simplis-
tically told.
Thirteen-year-old Elijah
Wood leads a terrific cast of
youngsters trying to make a
movie out of a string of plati-
tudes. Set in the summer of 1970,
it has a great soundtrack going
for it. But neither the immense-
ly talented kids, nor the music,
could have improved upon the
i preachy, disjointed script,
. Though entitled "The War,"
"The War".
the film is really about an
important, life-altering summer
in the lives of brother and sister
Stu and Lidia Simmons (Wood
and Lexi Randall). Their father,
played by Kevin Costner, is a
Vietnam Vet who finally admits
his long absences have nothing
to do with work searches. In
reality, he's had to check him-
self into mental hospitals to try
and recover from Post-
Traumatic Stress Syndrome.
Meanwhile, his children are
fighting their own war, of sorts,
with the mean tribe of a local
junk yard owner.
In some sense, the movie is
about parent/child communica-
tion. It also tells us that war is
bad, racism is bad, and family
values are good. We should be
compassionate and always do
our best. You pretty much feel
like you've been sitting through
a very long ad paid for by the
Moral Majority by the time the
final credits roll.
Director John Avnet ("Fried
Green Tomatoes") presents a
detailed, flavorful slice of the
South 25 years ago. He also cap-
tures the frustration and
heartache of dire poverty, but he
and writer Kathy McWorter
miss the big picture by aiming
too high and trying to include
too much. The narrative struc-
ture nearly collapses by the
time the movie reaches its third
ending.
Costner's performance is
another disappointment, as
earnestness just leaches out of
him until he sounds like he's lec-
turing, not acting. Playing his
wife is Mare Winningham, a fine
actress, who is again shunted
into another strong, but weepy,
Mom role. Youngster Wood, with
his natural ease, walks away
with the show. Problem is, this
isn't much of a show.
Cloggers to hold all day Turkey Trot
The Yankee Doodle Cloggers
i will be hosting a Turkey Trot
clogging workshop from 10 a.m.
to 10 p.m. on November 12 at
Memorial Hall on Main Street in
Melrose. Clog dancers from all
over the Northeast are expected
to attend.
Scotty Bilz, a nationally
known clogging instructor from
Georgia, will be teaching a vari-
ety of dance routines from easy
offered in January and interme-
diate/advanced clogging is
taught through the year.
The group performs publicly
intermediate through advanced for many organizations and spe-
levels. Scotty will be assisted by cial events. They have appeared
John Quesenberry, a member of ——
the yankee Doodle Cloggers and
a former Maryland State
Clogging Champion.
Non-cloggers are encouraged
to drop in at any time during the
day to watch the fun. There is
no charge for spectators.
The Yankee Doodle Cloggers,
based in North Reading, have
approximately 50 members
ranging in age from 7 to 70".
Beginner clogging classes are
:.
r
:
on Evening Magazine; danced at
the rededication of the Statue of
Liberty; participated in the
recent 350th anniversary cele-
brations in Reading and
Wakefield; perforrn annually at
the Bolton and Topsfield Fairs
and dance in numerous other
parades and community festi-
vals in the area.
The next scheduled public
performance will be the Santa
Claus Parade on December 4th
in Merrimack.
Wilmington Rotary Club
Auction November 17-18
The Wilmington Rotary Club
of Wilmington announces its
Annual Auction to be held
Thursday, November 17 and
Friday, November 18.
Thursday's auction is a televi-
sion auction, beginning at 6:30
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