The Yellow Handkerchief

Brett has just come out of prison. He does not know where to go. At a petrol station he meets two young people: Martine is fifteen and wants to get away from home; Gordy drives around in an old car and cannot manage to talk to anyone. The three get into the same car and set off across Louisiana. Brett does not tell his story. The narrative opens in flashbacks: his relationship with his wife May, why he went to prison, and a letter he sent. There is a question in the letter and its answer is at the end of the road. Udayan Prasad directs. William Hurt plays Brett, Maria Bello plays May, Kristen Stewart plays Martine and Eddie Redmayne plays Gordy. The film is adapted from Japanese cinema; Yoji Yamada's 1977 production told the same story and is considered a classic in Japan. What the narrative builds is not speaking; all three characters hide their own matter and the film opens them slowly. The Louisiana locations are inside the narrative; shooting took place in the region after the hurricane and the damage stands in the image. The title refers to a sign explained at the end, and that scene carries the whole weight of the narrative. William Hurt's playing rests on saying little and is the film's strongest side. Its limit is predictability; what the ending will be is clear early. Who it is for: viewers who like quiet road films and drama centred on acting. Who it is not for: the pace is slow, the emotional register rises, and the plot is familiar.