mosquito coast

THE MOSQUITO COAST "The Mosquito Coast" reunites Harrison Ford and Peter Weir after "Witness," for which they both received Academy Award nominations. Ford's performance may make him a dark horse for such a nomination in this long-anticipated film however, Weir is unlikely to receive similar accolade. Best box-office prospects for this clamorous Warner Bros. release may be a few years down the road - whenever the country returns to a 60s-type, anti-establishment period. Right now, …

…and inspired performance; yet, it is so forceful and unrelenting under Weir's atonal direction that it has capsized the whole film. Among other performers, River Phoenix is outstanding as the perceptive oldest son, while Helen Mirren is shackled by her anemic role as Ford's beleaguered wife. Technical credits in this Jerome Hellman production are not surprisingly excellent, in particular John Seale's broad-scaled photography and John Stoddart's beamed-off-center production design attest to Weir's impeccable visual eye.