The Letter.

The Letter (2012 Movie.)

 I am not sure what "The Letter" is trying to accomplish. It is billed as a thriller but it languishes with a confusing plot. Winona Ryder does a good job in her role but she can't carry the movie as the story is horrible. 

 Set in New York City, Ryder is directing, as well as writing a play. Ryder seems to be suffering from some sort of dementia or a mental breakdown. A lot of the movie is shot at rehearsals and her boyfriend, Raymond (Josh Hamilton) is starting to get concerned over her erratic behavior. 

 The movie is shot as a Noir to give it a mysterious feel. The movie tries to be trendy with the actors directed to be mysterious and edgy. As Tyrone (James Franco) gives us odd behavior in that he says things that don't make sense. He is by far a better actor up on the stage than the others. He seems confident in his craft and the other actors are both intimidated by his acting and hateful towards him because of his mannerisms. 

 The cast for this play is familiar with one another, they have all worked together before with the exception of Tyrone. Anita (Marin Ireland) is a prime target for Tyrone. He is always commenting on her acting, her behavior, and he seems to unsettle her throughout the movie.As the rehearsals unfold, Ryder starts rewriting the play and hands new work to the actors daily. At one point, the play is almost entirely rewritten. Confused by this Anita questions what is happening to the play. Tyrone informs her that it's a "workshop", once again going against the grain of the cast. His talents allow him to shift gears quickly and pick up on the new works that Martine has rewritten. Raymond, her boyfriend and the rest of the cast struggle to keep up with the almost daily changes.

What is most confusing about this movie, and there are many things confusing here is that she comes in contact with various people that makes no sense. When she is being interviewed by a journalist about her new play, Martine doesn't remember this woman. She cannot put together a coherent thought about the play and starts babbling about Japan where people send letters to the dead. After the interview is cut short by Martine, she encounters the police who tell her that the journalist has been hit by a car and is in critical condition.Another useless thing about the movie is her encounter at the end of the movie with an Oriental man.

Where the movie loses the audience is at the rehearsals. If the writing was better during this time it may have been saved as a plot-line. Having actors walk through lines over and over, showing Martine continuously ask "what do you think that means"? is not a good basis for a movie. That is what happens here over and over. It leaves the viewers wondering where the movie is going. I am not too sure what the writer wanted to accomplish nor what the message was. The direction too was wavering in how the actors came across.

 "The Letter" is a B movie at best. It may have been better if it was made into a short film. As a short the writer and director could have fraction-ed it better. It may have been more intriguing that way. To make this a full length film was just wasteful to both the audience and the producers.

In the end, "The Letter" wanted to be edgy, cutting, but it goes round and round and never goes anywhere of significance.

Broadway Bob, Winona Ryder, James Franco, Hollywood, Oscars.