Customer Reviews
Nice effort from writer-director Aric Avelino - By: Jenny J.J.I., 26 Jun 2007 
"American Gun", is an attempt to do what so many filmmakers wish: to speak out on an issue, changing minds or informing, shedding light on dark areas. It is a shame that "American Gun" is not more successful, as it generallly comes across as directionless, failing to convey its tagline message that firing a gun shatters more than silence.
In the style of movies like "Crash", or "Magnolia", "American Gun" follows several separate story threads that intertwine- though, it must be said, to a lesser extent than those films. Marcia Gay Haden plays the mother of a boy who took part in a Columbine-style assault on his school who now has to deal not only with the hostility of parents around her but also her other son, now marked by the shadow of his brother's actions. Forest Whitaker's character is the principal of an inner-city school who has become so consumed by protecting his school & his students that his relationship with his wife (Garcelle Beauvais) & son is suffering. The daily struggle to keep his campus safe hasn't prevented one of his better students, who lives in a dangerous neighborhood, from acquiring a gun to protect himself- especiallly during the night job he has taken on to support his family. Linda Cardellini is a college student working in a gun shop owned by her grandfather (Donald Sutherland) who is struggling to find her place in life, & Tony Goldwyn is a police officer forced to confront his feelings as one of the officers criticized for not doing more to prevent the school shooting tragedy.
The major problem with the movie is that a synopsis fills you in on almost everything you need you know about the content of the film. There are few compelling scenes, whether we focus on action or emotion, & the characters are so one-dimensional that their names barely matter- within the confines of the film, they matter only insofar as their thoughts about firearms exist. To a certain degree, this is the point- Avelino clearly wishes to portray a series of stories that speak for themselves. However, the film ultimately feels impersonal, as if too much has been contrived in order to make a point. By & large, the actors perform adequately, & Whitaker's performance is excellent- although this might be the result of receiving a role with far more substance to it than many of the other capable actors in the film. His character comes off as noble, but human- someone with the best of intentions who is inevitably worn down by the magnitude of the task in front of him. Nobody could walk away from the task of keeping children safe, & yet it is too much of a burden for him to shoulder.
By & large, the other characters are not that persuasive. Their stories, or settings, are interesting enough, but barring one or two moments of genuine pathos, very little happens that is worth the setup. "American Gun" is not a bad film. It simply isn't very good. The slow pace & lack of direction lessen the impact of its serious themes, & the detached feeling lessens emotional connection & sympathy towards the main characters. It's a film one can watch, but not, perhaps, a film worth watching.
