Movie Reviews

With his ever unshaven face and uncombed mop of hair, Rhys Ifans has the scruffy, washed up rocker look down pat. So it was about time he played one. Here he stars as Len, a former punkrocker turned successful music producer/complete asshole. After becoming disillusioned with the music business and running off during an awards show, he has holed up somewhere in the buttcrack of nowhere determined to take self-pity to a whole new level.

His hope for peace and quiet gets shattered when his estranged son Max (Jack Kilmer) shows up in the hope his dad will listen to his band’s demo. And former pop star protégée Zoe (Juno Temple) shows up announced as well, all burnt out on the party life she grew up in. Oh, and there is also a local kid named William (Keir Gilchrist) who acts like Len’s surrogate son. Hence, Len & company.

Of course Len doesn’t listen to his son’s demo right away nor does he give Zoe the attention she craves. And then in the end he does. Because it’s that kind of movie. Maybe not as cheesy as most other movies that dwell in the same realm, but writer/director Tom Godsall did make that kind of movie.

Len & Company is a restrained movie that follows a couple of persons – all with their own problems - around for a couple of days. And while they might not have all their issues worked out by the time the credits roll across the screen, they are getting there. Good for them. Meanwhile I’m left wondering why I spent 90 minutes of my life watching this.