Mojave suggests that the Mojave Desert
is the go-to place for reflection and revelations about oneself and the
world. Thomas (Hedlund) embarks
upon that journey, but encounters experiences he never dreamed of. This happens because out there he
encounters Jack (Isaac) who inserts himself into Thomas’s life after they
engage in cryptic conversations about who they are, Jack being much more
forthcoming than Thomas. After a
brutal encounter, Thomas walks away, assuming he will never see Jack
again. But then a man appears at
the entrance of the cave where he is sleeping. Nothing will be the same after that.
Thomas
is a successful screenwriter with all the accoutrements it offers (mansion,
beautiful wife, child) in partnership with a studio executive. But that doesn’t mean he is happy; he
is filled with ennui and existential anxiety. Hence, the trip to the desert.
Thomas
and his partner Norman (Wahlberg) embody America’s fantasies about the successful
Hollywood stars and executives who are completely unaware of the disillusioned
and broken “99%.” This is shown by
the cool confidence of both Thomas and Norman, who are preoccupied with mundane
problems that confront them daily.
In contrast, Jack is bothered, very resentful, and determined to “make
them pay” for his unhappiness (about which we never get details). None of this happens quickly; it’s a
slow slog through their encounters.
The
basic point of this film is difficult to discern. Jack is clearly sociopathic (well played by Isaac) and
Thomas is troubled. But the film
never clues us in to the background trauma for either. Thomas seems to have “everything”, but
the film does not make clear what troubles him so much he is suicidal. We would also need to hear something
about Jack’s story that made him well read and possibly educated; but what has
happened to him that made him outraged enough to commit criminal acts?
As
told, Mojave leaves us begging for
more; as it stands, it doesn’t make much sense.
A film that tells you little about the
three main protagonists.
Grade: D+ By Donna
R. Copeland
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