SnoopyStyle Amy-Jo (Elle Fanning) loves her jazz pianist father Joe Albany (John Hawkes). He's on parole and a recovering addict. Her addict mother Sheila (Lena Headey) returns causing havoc. When her father gets arrested, she goes to stay with Gram (Glenn Close). After her father returns home, she befriends neighbor Alain (Peter Dinklage). Single mom neighbor Colleen (Taryn Manning) dies. Two years later, her father has a new drummer friend Cole (Caleb Landry Jones). Hobbs (Flea) is another friend.The movie moves slowly and flat for the first three quarters. Hawkes is a good addict. The cast is stock full of great actors. I think Elle Fanning doesn't have enough to do for most of the movie. She has some narration but her character lacks real depth. She doesn't have any friends of her own age. She makes a friend with Alain but he's quickly gone. She can't hold the center of the movie and it suffers from the collapse. The last 30 minutes has some interesting moves for Amy-Jo but it's a little too late.

westsideschl So authentically crafted that my mind, in the beginning, couldn't wrap it's self around how Elle could look the same in the '70s & '80s - did she know something about time travel (Predestination devotee?). A true, to some extent, story with great acting, sets, props, writing and authentic jazz of that period. Good see an actor actually playing the musical instrument central to the movie's theme. An accurate telling of the impact of drugs, poverty and questionable parenting.Two hidden surprises were Peter's "Game of Thrones" bow and a movie theater marquee of the controversial and perhaps revolutionary "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song".

Paul Allaer "Low Down" (2014 release; 120 min.) brings the true story of famed jazz pianist Joe Albany's struggle with drugs, as see through the eyes of his 13 yr. old daughter Amy-Jo (or A.J.) Albany. As the movie opens, we are reminded that it is "Hollywood, 1974", as we say Amy-Jo (played by Elle Fanning) looking through magazines, waiting on her dad's return home. Amy-Jo loves watching him practice and play. Soon we learn that Joe (played by Jphn Hawkes) is in trouble for having broken his parole, and he is taken back in by cops. Amy-Jo moves in with her Gram (played by Glenn Close). To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.Couple of comments: first, please note that this is not a biopic of Joe Albany, but instead a look at a very specific phase in Amy-Jo's life when she was 13 through 15, which happens to coincide with Joe's never-ending battle with heroin. In fact, the book is based on Amy-Jo's memoir and she is credited as having co-written the script for the movie. Second, this is not particularly a feel-good movie, far from it, as these characters are living in less than glamorous conditions, and they are surrounded by low-lives. Third, the movie is set in the mid-70s and does a great job bringing that era to life with lots of audio and video clips that play on the TV. Less charming is the incessant smoking of cigarettes, I mean I don't think there is a single scene in the movie where someone isn't smoking. Fourth, as you can well imagine, this type of material tends to bring out great acting performances, and that is certainly the case here. Elle Fanning who was 15 when this movie was shot, is outstanding as the adoring daughter who realizes that her dad is in serious trouble. John Hawkes, best known for his roles in Winter's Bone and The Sessions, brings a heartfelt performance as the pained jazz pianist. At one point, when Gram talks to A.J about dreaming of a better future, Joe shrugs "Mine is a life of wasted dreams", wow. And what can you say about Glenn Close as the pianist's mother (A.J.'s grandmother), I was simply blown away. Check out also Flea (of Red Hot Chili Peppers) in a smaller role. I was quite surprised when the end titles rolled to see that both Flea and Anthony Kudis of the Peppers executive-produced the movie. Good for them! Last but not least, music, and jazz music in particular plays a huge role in the movie so if you don't care much for it, you may want to stay away. There are other song placements, including David Bowie's "Golden Years"."Low Down" opened this weekend out of nowhere without any pre-release buzz or advertising at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. I figured this would not play very long so I want to see it this weekend. The screening I saw this at Sunday late afternoon turned out to be a private affair, as in: I was literally the only person in the theater. That's a shame. Maybe this movie will find a larger audience when it is released on DVD. If you have a chance to check out "Low Down", realizing this is not a movie you'll walk out thinking "this was a jolly good time", I'd readily recommend that you do so, be it in the theater, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

thatslife12 Low DownThe Sundance film "Low Down" showcases the life of Joe Albany (John Hawkes). Joe was a renowned jazz pianist who got his start during the bebop era and went on to perform until his death in the late 1980s. The focus of the storyline is on his music, drug addiction and his struggle to raise his daughter, Amy, (Elle Fanning). Joe's life is told through the eyes of his daughter, Amy. She is a bright-eyed teenager who appreciates her father's musical gift, and is his biggest fan. The audience immediately recognizes the loyalty and the loving relationship between Joe and Amy. She longs to understand him, his lifestyle choices and his overwhelming drug habit. The film is engaging and pulls the audience into Amy's determined quest to rescue her heroin-addicted father. "Low Down" is dark and dramatic, as any other great film about addiction and music. The film's attention to detail, the cast and their performances are excellent. The film has some of the best acting you'll see at Sundance this year or any other year.