The Yellow Handkerchief

Tagline: A love lost in the past. A love struggling for a future.

So I was really looking forward to this movie when it was finally released in Austin . This little independent film was actually shot on location back in 2007 and is now just finding a very limited theater release thanks to Samuel Goldwyn distributors. The cast was impressive and the storyline was intriguing and naturally I found myself seeing this film in one of the few theaters in Austin on a recent trip.



The movie is actually a remake of a 1977 Japanese film. The story follows the lives of four unique characters who all feel out of place in their current situations and is set in present day Louisiana . Brett Hanson (William Hurt) has just been released from prison and finds himself suddenly on a road trip with Martine (Kristen Stewart) and Gordy (Eddie Redmayne) who also recently met. Hanson then retells the story of a lost love he once had with May (Maria Bello). The characters begin to find acceptance in each other and work to fill the voids each of them have in their own lives.


The story is deeply personal and really flows well with the interweaving plot lines. The characters are very real and believable and each comes with their own set of different flaws and weaknesses. The dialogue is very well written and again these characters are just believable. It’s nice to see a love story about real people and not idealic perfect characters who participate in these grand love stories. This story is sweet and personal while at the same time it is truly believable. The characters are complex and develop on different levels. By the end of the movie, we really know what their weaknesses are and how they can use each other to fill their voids.


The movie was filmed beautifully and really emphasized the locations they shot at. There was some just amazingly beautiful locations in the movie. The lighting was soft and artistic and really gave a warm feel to this movie. There was a particular sequence of dialogue between Martine and Gordy which was filmed while they were driving down the highway in a convertible and the sound was just done so perfectly. I was amazed that they were able to get that sequence with doing the sound in post or having the wind drown out their words. The editing was also great and kept a nice pace to the movie and also switched between the past and present with ease.


The performances were superb and this is really what made the movie shine. All of the cast gave true heartfelt portrayals of these characters and you couldn’t help but just be drawn into the story through to the end. Kristen Stewart did a great job playing a fun lively character, which is a little different that the darker moodier characters most have seen her portray. It was refreshing to see her play an optimist and she gives the character a sort of wise innocence that I don’t think most other actresses her age could’ve played. She also actually did a good job with the Southern accent. Most of the time, I cringe when actors try to pull of the Southern drawl in movies, but all the actors did really good with the subtle but believable accents. William Hurt and Maria Bello played really well off each other and had such great chemistry. Hurt proves why he is one of my favorite actors, you can just see the pain and regret in his face in this movie. Eddie Redmayne did fantastic. For a British actor to pull off this role, is no small feat. He plays the character so well that we truly are sympathetic for him but while still showing his uniqueness, quirks, and flaws.


Overall, I was very happy with this movie. I wouldn’t necessarily label this a feel good movie, but rather a true life movie. These characters are believable and the story is captivating and mesmerizing. It’s nothing spectacular or groundbreaking, its just so real and true that it shines brighter than others of this type. The producers said they had wanted to make a movie that was captivating without sex or violence and they really pulled it off. I usually prefer my movies to be rated ‘R’ because that usually means they are more realistic however that is not the case here. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sweet personal dramas with strong lead actors. ‘I can see your whole life in your face, and I love that face’.