Annabeth Gish

Jon Voight

JoBeth Williams

Ellen Barkin

Jay Underwood

Allen Garfield

Christine Lahti

Laura Rasmussen

Eugene Corr

Reynaldo Villalobos

David Garfield

Michael Hausman

Richard Fischoff

Cari Coughlin

Hugo Cortina

John Currin

Anne Rapp

Curtis Roush

Deborah Lucchesi

Lawrence Miller

Brad Fiedel

Stephen Vaughan

Linda Remy

Bones Howe

Hilary Rosenfeld

Stephen E. Bridge

James R. Bagdonas

Alan Robert Murray

Tom Beckert

Ben Nye Jr.

Tom E. Dahl

Robert G. Henderson

Kaye Pownall

Robert L. Zilliox

Michael Evje

Wayne Artman

Drama

Family

nevada

atomic bomb test

coming of age

las vegas

desert

1950s

abusive stepfather

list2

MovieLens[:10K]

Desert Bloom

Columbia Pictures

_**Underrated drama about coming of age in 50's Vegas**_

"Desert Bloom" (1986) is an excellent and underrated coming-of-age drama about a semi-dysfunctional family living in Las Vegas in the early 50s. The military is conducting atomic bomb testing nearby. The story mostly focuses on 13 year-old Rose (Annabeth Gish) who struggles with her relationship with her stepfather, Jack (Jon Voight). Jack suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. Her mother, Lily (JoBeth Williams), is the pillar of the family that keeps them together and hopeful. When Lily's sexpot sister, Starr (Ellen Barkin), visits it's both a blessing and a curse.

The film grabbed my attention from the get-go, which is a good sign, and sustained it till the end. The first two acts are solid drama that build up to the more volatile final act.

Most families function satisfactorily from day to day with an undercurrent of some frustration or animosity, which leads to the occasional explosion of emotions. This is what we see in "Desert Bloom," and it's a potent explosion.

The acting is stellar, by the way. Voight's one of the greatest actors in the history of cinema and he's just so believable here. Williams, Barkin and Gish as well.

Roger Ebert inexplicably complained that the film is about two many things, but I never got this feeling for a second. Yes, the story juggles quite a few issues -- coming-of-age, atomic bomb testing, mental disorders, child abuse, alcoholism and inappropriate relations -- but they all gel together for a cohesive whole.

With all these elements the film is rich with gems to mine. Here are three that I'd like to mention:

* The balding, pudgy neighbor who is boldly willing to stand up for an abused child.
* The solid mother who keeps her composure at all times, until she catches wind of something sinister. At that point, watch out! (But notice what she does after the explosion).
* The ending's emphasis on repentance, forgiveness and redemption. It's so effective it's a mite tear-inducing.

As far as the dramatic vibe goes, "Desert Bloom" is reminiscent of films like "Jacknife" (1989) and "Blue Sky" (1991). It's on par with the former and better than the latter.

The film was shot in Vegas & Tucson and runs 105 minutes.

GRADE: A-

English

Desert Bloom Trailer 1986

Desert Bloom

The nuclear family meets the atomic age.

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