The Pacific and Eddy

A 2007 drama that will appeal mainly to disaffected youths, this elliptical indie has undeniable quality but, in the end, fails to satisfy. Traveling musician Eddy (Ryan Donowho), having run away after sustaining a tragic loss, returns to his coastal hometown and tries to reconnect with his friends, only to find their reservoir of sympathy for him running dry. Therein lies the film’s crucial weakness: the self-absorbed, cowardly Eddy is a markedly unsympathetic character. Dominique Swain contributes a solid turn as Eddy’s former girlfriend, but supporting player Susan Highsmith takes principal acting honors as his best friend’s significant other.

Shelf Talk: The Pacific and Eddy played the film-festival circuit, eliciting a couple generally favorable reviews and a number of awards. It’ll be a tough film to market, but Westlake has promised extensive publicity and online marketing to target fans of Sleepwalkers star Donowho and erstwhile nymphet Swain.