The Yellow Handkerchief (PG-13, 2010)

Post-Katrina aimlessness and desolation is laid bare in this quietly powerful film by Udayan Prasad. Leading the charge is Hurt, who steps into Brett’s writ-large shoes –- the story turns on him, really -- and plays it with smart understatement. A lesser actor might’ve approached the role with too much eagerness, overdoing the pain and baggage, but not him. Far from the self-conscious Twilight “zone,” Stewart leaves ennui and vampires behind to give a wonderfully vulnerable performance, the right counterpart to Redmayne’s strangely affecting Gordy. Often underrated, Bello’s at her earthy best.

Cinematographer Chris Menges knows just how to work the images and heighten mood. THE YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF makes grit look profoundly beautiful. The run time’s tight, but some scenes feel actor-y and portentous, and there’s a loose-ness to the structure that renders it somewhat moorless. (Also, most road films collect the unlikeliest of travelers togethes, and that doesn't change here.) Thankfully, there aren’t too many of them, leaving a modest, but stunning, film about redemption and forgiveness.