公路之王

　　在巴黎的郊区，人们与世隔绝。当代社会闯入了这个世界，收音机里播放着恐怖主义的消息，外国人掠夺财产，贪婪的亲戚也成了帮凶。当那个谁也管不住的堡主的堂亲Sophie死去的时候，局面变得紧张起来，那些继承者为了钱财展开了斗争。

　　Fraught with over obvious symbolism, Hartley's early feature is nonetheless a joy to watch. Hal here shows us his uncanny ability to cast his characters perfectly came early in his career.
　　Adrienne Shelley is a near perfect foil to herself, equal parts annoying teen burgeoning in her sexuality (though using sex for several years); obsessed with doom and inspired by idealism gone wrong she is deceptively – and simultaneously – complex and simple. Her Audrey inspires so many levels of symbolism it is almost embarrassingly rich (e.g., her modeling career beginning with photos of her foot – culminating her doing nude (but unseen) work; Manhattan move; Europe trip; her stealing, then sleeping with the mechanics wrench, etc.)
　　As Josh, Robert Burke gives an absolutely masterful performance. A reformed prisoner/penitent he returns to his home town to face down past demons, accept his lot and begin a new life. Dressed in black, and repeatedly mistaken for a priest, he corrects everyone ("I'm a mechanic"), yet the symbolism is rich: he abstains from alcohol, he practices celibacy (is, in fact a virgin), and seemingly has taken on vows of poverty, and humility as well. The humility seems hardest to swallow seeming, at times, almost false, a pretense. Yet, as we learn more of Josh we see genuineness in his modesty, that his humility is indeed earnest and believable. What seems ironic is the character is fairly forthright in his simplicity, yet so richly drawn it becomes the viewer who wants to make him out as more than what he actually is. A fascinatingly written character, perfectly played.
　　The scene between Josh and Jane (a wonderful, young Edie Falco . . . "You need a woman not a girl") is hilarious . . . real. But Hartley can't leave it as such and his trick, having the actors repeat the dialogue over-and-over becomes frustratingly "arty" and annoying . . . until again it becomes hilarious. What a terrific sense of bizarre reality this lends the film (like kids in a perpetual "am not"/"are too" argument).
　　Hartley's weaves all of a small neighborhood's idiosyncrasies into a tapestry of seeming stereotypes but which delves far beneath the surface, the catalyst being that everyone believes they know what the "unbelievable truth" of the title is, yet no two people can agree (including our hero) on what exactly that truth is. A wonderful little movie with some big ideas.

　　风华正茂的青年王凯（吕聿来 饰）是一家公司的职员，即使驱车飞驰在公路上时，他也一刻不得清闲，一会儿和老板汇报进度，一会儿跟合作商催讨欠款，一会儿又要应付各种陌生的推销电话。他左右逢迎，不得闲暇。驾驶途中，他接连数次看见同一个老人在路边招手拦车。正当他疑惑之时，突然发现老人竟然坐在了副驾驶的位置。更令他难以置信的是，对方自称也叫王凯（邱子 饰），而且是57岁的自己。为什么会有这般跨越时空的相会？年轻王凯百思不得其解，在老年王凯的邀请下，他被迫从百忙的工作中抽身，和自己展开了一段充满回忆的休闲之旅……
　　本片为中国电影集团与优酷网联合出品的微电影系列《十一度青春》中的一部。