THE MYSTERIES OF PITTSBURGH

Directed By Rawson Marshall Thurber

Review By Kim Jindra

The real enigma about THE MYSTERIES OF PITTSBURGH is the reason for making this movie in the first place. It is an overwrought story of confused  college graduate, Art Bechstein (Jon Foster), who gets involved with the wrong people while trying to find himself.

In this painful (for the audience) journey we discover Bechstein is trying to enjoy a summer of 'no responsibility' before he begins a career picked by his mob boss father (Nick Nolte).

Bechstein takes a mindless job at a used bookstore, begins a sexual relationship with his boss (Mena Suvari) and takes prep classes for his securities license until a chance encounter with the beautiful Jane (Sienna Miller) threatens his sheltered existence.  Bechstein's summer really begins when motorcycle helmeted Cleveland (Peter Saarsgard) turns up at the bookstore and seizes Bechstein. Cleveland takes Bechstein to the top of an abandoned steel mill and threatens to toss him off "the Cloud Factory". And then Jane shows up.

The story attempts to explore the attraction between these three characters but that's where it loses me. I understand the guys are physically captivated by Jane but she is an alcoholic violinist with no real depth. Cleveland sees Bechstein as his possible ticket into the higher circles of the criminal world. Bechstein is clearly drawn to Cleveland's unpredictability.   Unfortunately the three characters are not interesting people.  I didn't care about any of them.   And no one should be surprised by the big relationship twist.  It was truly an 'oh brother' moment.   The film's climax was telegraphed almost from the moment Cleveland enters the movie.

Voice over almost totally destroyed the opening fifteen minutes of the movie.  I was extremely relieved when Rawson Marshall Thurber finally trusted action and dialog to tell the story.  But my relief was short lived.

I know Thurber adapted Michael Chabon's novel for the screen but it does not make me want to rush to read the book.  The film does feature beautiful camera work from Michael Barrett.  Pittsburgh is a fine old city and he does it justice. Suvari had enough energy for the entire cast which is good since her character is the most original thing about the movie.