At Any Price *½ (R) How can so many things go wrong when one starts with a solid cast, timely main premise, promising character conflicts and strong opening? After thirty minutes, or so, of what seems to be an examination of the current plight of family farms coping with the economic threats of agribusiness, and the usually viable exploration of father-son dynamics, the script soon descends into a turgid, shallow melodrama, that delivers nothing on the substance or emotional depth it dangles at the beginning.
Dennis Quaid is trying to keep the family farm afloat to please his gruff father (Red West), and at least one of his sons (Zac Efron), who would vastly prefer NASCAR driving to any pursuit that requires proximity to his dad. The other son has already left for foreign adventures. Stuff happens. The more we see, the less reason there is to pull for any person or outcome as the proceedings devolve into soap opera. It all adds up to a cinematic crop failure that can’t be blamed on nature or the economy. It’s the script, stupid.. (5/17/13)