PLOT: Walden Dean an unassuming court stenographer in a small southern town, when he discovers he is dying, he decides to exact revenge on criminals who escaped their prosecution
REVIEW: Emile Hirsch is one of those actors that, no matter the film, his performances stand out. While he plays the straight man very well, I’ve always enjoyed him more when he goes the more “out there” route. And his role as Walden is certainly a weird one. Walden Dean is a courtroom stenographer obsessed with breaking the typing world record. But when he’s told he’s dying, he decides he can no longer be an impartial observer, and takes matters into his own hands. And his sense of justice is quite…violent.
Don’t go into Walden expecting some kind of stereotypical trajectory of “Man takes justice into his own hands.” Sure, there are absolutely elements that feel familiar but it really stews in the weirdness. Whether it’s the editing choices or even the dialogue, there’s an odd timing present. At first, I wasn’t sure what to make of it but ultimately, I think it works as a satire. Walden is very timid and has obvious issues with social cues. So to see him suddenly decide “enough is enough” was quite cathartic.
I can’t say it enough: Walden is a bizarre movie. Whether it’s a judge pulling out a massive revolver to stop a defendant from attacking in court or just the sheer lack of understanding of how court cases progress, there’s plenty that will leave you scratching your head in confusion. Hell, a literal child murderer is released due to a technicality, despite his own confession. But it seems as though these decisions are being made in order to set Walden up for the perfect scenario. He can go after someone deserving of it, there is no grey area. And I kind of appreciated its weirdness.
Take Emily Duperon (Kelli Garner) who is pursuing Walden because she’s so impressed with his stenographer skills. In any other film, she’s someone who’s trying to get one over on Walden out of jealousy. But here, she’s completely smitten with all of his eccentricities. One of the real highlights of the film is the usage of Luke Davis as George. It can be a bit questionable when someone with disabilities is used, as it can feel a bit exploitative. But if anything, Davis makes the role even better. I enjoyed both Shane West and Tania Raymonde as the detectives, but despite good performances, their roles ultimately feel rather pointless.
There are times when the proceedings are absurdly melodramatic. The flashbacks to Walden’s childhood are handled a bit like a Lifetime Movie. And this town seems to have everything bad happening in it: multiple murderers and even rapists in the streets. It gets to be a little ridiculous when you poke holes in it. There were many times when I just wanted events to be set up in a less ludicrous way. I mean, when a child murderer is released on a technicality just to move your plot along, it doesn’t result in the most logical of stories.
But there’s a lot of potential here and I’m curious as to what writer/director Mick Davis will get up to next. There are solid building blocks here, as he clearly knows how to work with actors and sets up some interesting shots. The roughness around the edges may just make entry for new viewers a little bumpier. Walden has a lot of potential both with its premise and its cast, but it never really rises past average. Hirsch gives a fantastic performance but the very strange editing choices never give any moment enough room to breathe. The random fading out of a scene that hardly feels like it’s gotten started makes it feel like amateur hour. None of the story beats will surprise any seasoned moviegoer but it’s a unique experience getting there.
WALDEN IS IN SELECT THEATERS ON NOVEMBER 10TH, 2023 THEN ON DEMAND/DIGITAL ON DECEMBER 12, 2023.