Entropy 1999, Rated R Buena Vista Home Entertainment

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Starring Stephen Dorff, Judith Godreche, et al. Released to DVD on February 15, 2000.

There is a truly interesting dichotomy about film criticism that isn't often discussed or even noticed by the general public. Film critics, by definition, are paid to critique and pass judgement upon the movies that we see. The vast majority of film critics pronounce their opinions on motion pictures based on said pictures' inherent artistic nature and the degree of enjoyment received while watching, two factors that are linked more than most understand.

These facts are neither new nor provocative. Those elements come into play when one realizes that film critics make their living artistically judging a product that has been released simply to make money; generally speaking, no one on that end of it cares if art has been created.

Under these circumstances, genuinely artistic works of cinema--stories that are not only told, but told taking full advantage of the liberties and options that the cinematic medium gives--are, indeed, rare.

During the opening credits of every movie I see, I hope and pray that the following 90 minutes are going to be thought-provoking and refreshingly well filmed; not even people who are getting paid want to sit through Bicentennial Man if they can help it. But, unfortunately, more often than not, my optimism is not rewarded. On those infrequent occasions when the on-screen material lives up to my expectations, a sense of comfortable and enjoyable relief sets in as I settle back in my chair not wanting the feeling or experience to end. This doesn't happen with any sense of regularity though, so when it does happen, you take notice.

Having screened an alarmingly large number of movies recently, everything began to fall into formulaic and repetitive patterns. Supporting characters stopped being supporting characters and started becoming enablers; Cate Blanchett's presence on-screen guaranteed me that Matt Damon was going to have to think quickly to cover both sets of lies he had told. Fortunately, just when things were starting to look their darkest, I came across writer/director Phil Joanou's completely original and unexpectedly clever film Entropy.

Stephen Dorff stars in Entropy as Jake, a young director who has risen to prominence in Hollywood thanks to a series of enthralling music videos for U2 (not unlike one Phil Joanou's own early claim to fame). Based upon the success of his videos, Jake has been offered the opportunity to direct his first feature length film. Principal photography is anything but smooth, with Jake constantly squabbling with his producers over budget cuts and the need to make the picture's script tighter, but in the midst of these harsh settings, Jake meets and falls head over heels in love with Stella (Judith Godreche), a strangely enchanting, supermodel who is both beautiful and intelligent.

However, the beauty of Entropy is that Joanou's script doesn't just stop there. Following the intimate complexities of Jake and Stella's relationship, we are taken through the ups and downs of their association--the exciting honeymoon period, the first fight and various other turning points--all the while watching Jake hack through his debut directing gig.

Simply by not buying into the standard "boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl back" pattern, Joanou has already raised the bar on this production.

Based on my previous experiences with Joanou's work as a director on the studio pictures Three O'Clock High ('86), State of Grace ('90), Final Analysis ('92) and Heaven's Prisoners ('96), I can honestly say I wasn't expecting anything near the level of directorial presence displayed in Entropy. (Re-watching Final Analysis, I actually found myself bored at Joanou's method of shooting most scenes--cutting between the master shot and the close-ups of the actors with little if any camera movement. I was shaking my head in amazement that one man could make such a pronounced change in style a mere two films down the road).

Entropy opens atop a roof, looking down upon footage of night traffic played at an alarming rate of speed, the camera pans around the rooftop, coming to rest on an open window. Trolling through the window and a 360 degree pan of a room, the camera comes to rest on Jake, sitting on a bed, who informs us that this is his story and he is our tour guide through it. And with that, Entropy has begun.

Shot on a number of different film stocks, mixing black and white with color footage, while using a variety of speeds, camera zooms and very quick edits throughout the film, the tone and style of the film are quite visually lavish. With subtly orange and blue hued sets, props and wardrobes and the upbeat, bass-heavy electronica soundtrack keeping the rhythm and supplying the pace, the atmosphere was completed.

Dorff, Godreche and the other supporting players (including Lauren Holly, Kelly MacDonald and the members of U2) deliver solid and credible performances, with the art direction and storyline lovely and tight.

Thoroughly inventive and unusual, Entropy is the best movie to have been released on video so far this year.