Rapid Review: Odd Thomas (2013)

“Fate is not a straight road. There are many forks in it. You have the free will to choose which one you take, but sometimes it will bend around and bring you straight back to that same stubborn fate.”
– Odd Thomas

SYNOPSIS: In a California desert town, a short-order cook with clairvoyant abilities encounters a mysterious man with a link to dark, threatening forces. – via IMDB

I really don’t know why this movie has such bad ratings online… oh yeah, because this is the internet. Anyway. I haven’t read the Odd Thomas books (at the time of writing), so I cannot draw comparisons in this review. I must say, that while the film was quite uneven in places, it was engaging, and while it was predictable, there were still things that shocked, and it contained some really great performances from the cast, especially looking at Anton Yelchin, whom I find immensely under-appreciated, Dafoe who was, of course, excellent as always here, and Addison Timlin. I thought that Timlin and Yelchin had really sweet chemistry together, and their relationship was something I truly enjoyed. I also really liked how Odd and Wyatt Porter had such a cool understanding with one another. Anton Yelchin was great as Odd, I cannot actually picture anybody else playing him because he embodied all the idiosyncrasies that made Odd endearing and charming. The movie is quirky and odd (hehehe), but I liked it for the most part. I was entertained the whole way through, and it even managed to bring a solid emotional side in, something I did not expect. Something that was also refreshing is that, while Odd might be hiding his abilities from the town as a whole, he is not alone in his quest. Stormy knows all about him and loves him, and the chief, Wyatt, is aware of Odd’s abilities and works closely with him, they are really close knit, so there isn’t the whole whiny “the world will never know what I do for it, and can’t” drama that can get boring quickly. It was shot quite well, too, and the soundtrack was pretty fitting. The effects may not have been groundbreaking, but they worked just fine for the film, and won’t put you off. They served their purpose. This may be a budget film, but I am pleased to say that it does not look it, and what with the quick pacing and adventurous storyline, the film is certainly likable and well worth a watch.