LOGGERHEADS ( American )

A very sombre and subdued movie which consists of three stories that switch back and forth between separate time periods. In common is the character of Mark, played by the georgous Kip Pardue, who arrives every year to sleep on a North Carolina beach and guard the eggs of the endangered Loggerhead Turtle. When the local sheriff tries to move him on, the hunky George offers him a room (who wouldn't !) at the run-down hotel he has inherited. Each is isolated by their own private grief, but a tentative relationship develops. Meanwhile, a mother's search for the son that she gave up for adoption years ago, has lead her to an uptight wife and her stern and unforgiving husband. The complex stories and relationships depicted are offset by dialogue as sparse as the beautifully shot coastline and spartan interiors. Despite a sometimes gloomy atmosphere, and the fact that it takes a while to work out the time jumps and how the stories tie together, this is nonetheless a thought-provoking and well-made film.