Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Josie Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 3, 2018

“Josie” emerges from the mind of screenwriter Anthony Ragnone, who makes his feature-length debut with the movie. Apparently, the writing attracted a lot of attention on the screenplay scene a few years ago, even reaching the dubious “Black List,” a self-congratulatory Hollywood system that’s helped many projects reach the screen, while only a few of them have been as extraordinary as their reputations. “Josie” has the seductive curves of the picture that plays terrific on paper, but as a film, limitations are highlighted in a major way, with the plot more suited for a short story than a big screen endeavor, finding Ragnone working on a puzzle that’s not particularly worth solving, while director Eric England doesn’t provide much of a reason to remain with the unfolding drama, forgoing narrative drive to linger on lukewarm encounters between banal characters.

Somewhere in the south, Hank (Dylan McDermott) has made a home for himself at the Pink Motel, living in the dark with a pair of tortoises, trying best to keep to himself. There are nosy neighbors such as Martha (Robin Bartlett) and Gordie (Kurt Fuller), but Hank manages to maintain a low profile, collecting money as security for the local high school, making sure troublemakers such as Marcus (Jack Kilmer) remain on campus, making him a target for retaliation. Into the Pink Motel comes Josie (Sophie Turner), a mysterious teenager who lives by herself, setting up across the way from Hank, engaging him immediately. Offering kindness to her neighbor, Josie becomes an object of fixation for Hank, who isn’t sure if the new girl in town is flirting or just being nice. They embark on a hesitant friendship, with Hank confessing his darkest problems to Josie, but the leap into a relationship remains elusive, finding Josie also drawn to Marcus, who hates Hank with every fiber of his being, living to torment the introvert.

The success of “Josie” is entirely dependent on the power of its third act. However, Ragnone plays a game of delayed satisfaction, focused primarily on the residents of the Pink Motel, a group of average people trying to make a community in the middle of nowhere. Hank is a reluctant member of the group, trying to maintain his sanity by keeping away from others and devoting his free time to the consumption of country music (the “real stuff,” not modern sounds) and tending to his beloved tortoises, building a habitat for the pair in his room. Hank’s an odd guy, clearly haunted by something in his past, shuffling around the property with a curiously stiff body and observational attitude, which remains on high alert at school, where he’s tasked with keeping kids with names such as “Gator” in line, becoming a figure of authority for angry young men such as Marcus.

The key to “Josie” is the titular character. She’s a semi-sexualized young woman coming to the Pink Motel all by herself, promising Martha that her parents will soon follow. She’s interested in Hank, trying to form a friendship with the older man by keeping him company, asking questions about his life. For Hank, such attention from a teen beauty shakes him out of his depressive slumber, and while the residents acknowledge trouble ahead for the middle-aged man as he tries to woo a child, Hank doesn’t care, slowly reaching for Josie, who complicates matters by dating Marcus, creating something of a love triangle that’s not developed in full. Initial moments of discovery between the personalities are passably compelling, and Turner actually pulls off the southern-fried Lolita routine, offering reasonable accent work and subtle sultriness to generate required allure, also maintaining Josie’s mysterious control over the unfolding situation, keeping Hank and Marcus comfortably leashed to fulfill a purpose that isn’t defined fast enough.

“Josie” is a slow-burn affair, but that approach doesn’t work for England (an iffy director, last seen with the crime comedy “Get the Girl”), who doesn’t massage mystery along the way. Ragnone’s screenplay is going somewhere specific, but the movie doesn’t share the same drive toward an exciting endgame, lingering on tedious moments of Hank’s burning curiosity and Josie’s geniality. Suspense arrives in the form of rumors about Hank’s possible misconduct, which has led him to seek sanctuary in the Pink Motel, urging Josie to learn more about the man during their time together. What should be unsettling stuff is kept at a low boil by England, who tries to remain a comfortable distance away from the secrets of the story, putting the endeavor into park instead, leading to multiple scenes where nothing of note happens, and potential illness is silenced to prep the feature for its anticlimactic ending. While “Josie” deals with temptation, the actual film doesn’t draw the viewer in, offering lukewarm psychological profiles to inspect, while Ragnone tries to stoke the fires of possible insanity by giving Hank visions of a glaring man in a prison jumpsuit, with the ghostly figure haunting him throughout the story. Another production would use such a question mark to inspire suspicions. England does very little with it.

Josie Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation supplies a reasonably detailed look at the HD-shot highlights of "Josie." It's a dark picture, with most activity in dimly lit rooms and occurring during the evening, and delineation isn't always as communicative as hoped for, with solidification creeping into view on occasion. Better are sunlit adventures, which provide a more defined look at cinematographic highlights, picking up on motel decoration and skin quality, with unusually harsh facial particulars open for study. Colors are capable, capturing the sickly neon of motel signage and the more golden poolside hues. Costuming delivers strong primaries. Skintones are natural.

Josie Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix is more functional than remarkable, with soundtrack selections a particular disappointment, lacking authority on the track. Instrumentation is acceptable, along with scoring needs, but power is missing, failing to support moods as needed. Dialogue exchanges are a bit better, though they're not always as sharp as possible. Intelligibility is never threatened. Surrounds are active for musical efforts and intermittent separation for motel visits is appealing, capturing room expanse and position. Low-end is light. Atmospherics are acceptable.

Josie Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Josie Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There comes a time during the second half of "Josie" where one might think, "Just where is all this going?" Of course, spoilers are plentiful in the final act, but it's not as exciting as it may read. The conclusion doesn't come of out nowhere, but it's not laced up tight enough to trigger wide eyes and dropped jaws, playing, as previously mentioned, like the end of a short story, offering minimal payoff for minimal investment. "Josie" isn't a twisty concoction and there's very little heat or instability to make a sizable impression. England tries to connect the dots, but his editorial hustle is lacking, and Ragnone has a vision for a thriller that doesn't emerge with enough definition to carry even 80 minutes of movie. The whole things sags and sputters, juggling clichés and softball conflicts before it finally settles on shock value. And it's a jolt that barely registers.