Floating

Writer-director William Roth's debut clearly pegs both him and star Norman Reedus (Mimic) as talents to watch. Reedus is Van, a troubled twentysomething who has recently gone from riches to rags as a result of his father's becoming crippled in a car accident and his mother bailing with the family money. Unsure of what his future holds, Van spends most of his time hanging out by the nearby lake, smoking pot with his petty-burglar friends (when asked why they rob houses, their response is "Cuz it's excellent, man"). A new family moves into the house that Van's mother sold, and Van strikes up a friendship with Doug (Chad Lowe), initially as a matter of convenience, but soon their bond becomes genuine, as Doug is just as alienated from his father as Van is from his. When Van discovers the reason that Doug is tormented by his father, it comes time to make some serious decisions about both of their futures. Cinematographer Wolfgang Held films the proceedings beautifully, whether he's framing easy visuals like a lit swimming pool at night or something as simple as Van trying to fall asleep in the heat. Star Reedus is like a long-lost Phoenix sibling, with a relaxed, slacker charm that masks a deceptively complex person. Josh Marchette and Johnathan Quint are suitably goofy as the lowlife sidekicks, especially when they're laughing at animal-mating footage on the Discovery Channel while getting stoned. And although Doug's "secret" is pretty obvious (this film premiered at Outfest, after all), Lowe brings the role to life well. The only off note is the awkwardly written climax, which tries to be both transcendent and cathartic but comes off instead as muddled and simplistic. Blink and you'll miss Casey Affleck in a small role as a preppie.