Buried

Buried is a film that was completely under my radar until it won a Best Screenplay award from the National Board of Review. I try to keep on top of all the new releases, and for a film to win a fairly prestigious award without me ever hearing of it is unusual, to say the least.

It turns out that Buried is something of a gimmick picture, a cinematic parlor trick, much in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock's Rope or the much more recent Joel Schumacher film Phone Booth. You see, Buried takes place entirely within a wooden box buried under the earth.

The only actor seen on screen is Ryan Reynolds, who plays a civilian truck driver who has been kidnapped by Iraqi insurgents. He has been trussed up and buried, but has a few items to facilitate some interest for us--a lighter, a flashlight, some glowsticks, and most importantly, a cell phone that can actually get a signal.

Reynolds tries calling 911, and gets an operator from Youngstown, Ohio who can't really help. Eventually his captors call him, telling him that unless he comes up with 5 million dollars in a few hours, they will leave him buried. He manages to get through to the State Department, which puts him through to hostage expert who tries to find him.

The film was directed by Roderigo Cortes and written by Chris Sparling. It is a producer's delight--the smallest set imaginable, one costume, and a few props. The script seems like an assignment in a writing class, but manages to maintain interest for its 95-minute running time. A few things prompt eye-rolling, especially when a snake ends up in the box with Reynolds, but there are a few powerful moments. One comes when Reynolds' employer informs him that he's been terminated, so they are not liable for anything. This may seem incredible, but given the shenanigans contractors in the Middle East have been up to, it rings true.

Reynolds is terrific. We can almost see him thinking, trying to figure a way out. Unlike Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, who almost magically got herself out of a similar tight spot, this film adheres to physical laws--you can't swim through dirt. The only other actors are voices on the other end of the line--I congratulated myself for recognizing the voice of ubiquitous character actor Stephen Tobolowsky as the unctuous company representative.

This is a film Edgar Allan Poe would have loved.