Sollers Point

Jim Belushi is superb in the small role of Keith's father, a man admired and respected by everyone but the one individual he loves more than all the others combined.

The screenplay is naturalistic and the lead actor holds attention, but the film is too long and inconsequential to make much of a lasting impact as Keith meanders through his daily routines.

With "Sollers Point," [Porterfield has] added just enough narrative momentum to make that well-trod subset of crime sagas - the struggle to go straight - feel fresh again.

What "Sollers Point" accomplishes is a singular balancing act, compensating for the mood of heavy discouragement with only the slenderest thread of hope.

Characters like this one can be infuriating. But Mr. Lombardi imbues Keith with an ordinary likability...

The loose, seemingly improvisational performances bolster the film's unstudied realism and surface the hope and despair of the characters.

A despairing slice-of-life drama set in the blue-collar suburb of Baltimore.

What is striking is that, the more the action is delineated, the sadder the film becomes, because none of it is good for Keith. Anything remotely eventful only drives him further and further backwards.

We engage with the characters but don't necessarily align ourselves with any of them. We observe in a non-judgmental fashion.

Rather than conjuring sympathy for our protagonist, the film wallows in his rut.