You won’t know what to make of Zoe Saldaña’s new character study, The Absence of Eden. Half of the film feels genuine and can be incredibly poignant. The other is full of stereotypical caricatures with characters with no real arc. The narrative structure convinced me of an ending that would have made a stronger film. Except for the writer and director, Marco Perego (Burn to Shine) never tries to bring the two stories together at the very last moment. Unfortunately, the stories do not come together in an authentic way.
The Absence of Eden stars Zoe Saldaña, who plays Esmee, a stripper in Mexico who tries to immigrate to America because she killed a patron who was attempting to sexually assault her. In a stirring scene, she says goodbye to her grandmother. Then, she assimilates into a group looking to cross the border with the help of coyote human smugglers. What happens next is the most interesting part of The Absence of Eden, and you wish they stood pat to tell the story of Esmee’s journey with some real conviction.
Instead, the script treats the audience as a waste of Garrett Hedlund’s talents. (Why this actor has yet to find a role to suit his magnetic skills is still a mystery.) He plays Shipp, a fresh-faced ICE agent who is being schooled by his new partner, Dobbins (a frightening Chris Coy). Shipp saves the man from taking a shotgun blast through a door during a raid. Shipp’s reward? Dobbins shows him the ropes and what it means to be a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
To Dobbins, the sole reason seems to be to terrorize older men, women, children, and single mothers looking to make better lives for their families. This is where Perego and Rick Rapoza’s (Who Gets the Dogs) script becomes so uneven it’s practically criminal. The slightest provocation turns Dobbins into something you would see out of a DC or Marvel movie. Basically, he is the aftermath of a heroic character who has stuck around too long. You know the kind. One that turns into the villain.
Dobbins seems to love the most evil part of his job: tackling older adult citizens, shooting them in the back, and wrangling up children like cattle—all at the most mundane and silly provocations. A half dozen silly clashes are unnecessary and scream insincerity, especially when Dobbins turns into Columbo and investigates Shipp’s girlfriend (Morbius’s Adria Arjona), who needed more screen time. It’s where Arjona’s character couple intersects and brings greater depth to the story.
The Absence of Eden is only worth watching for Zoe Saldaña’s riveting performance. Her storyline can be riveting and heartrending at times. The role truly depicts a world in which viewers treat women, especially the kind that have their own intersectionality working against them. However, her performance gets lost as the film progresses. Shipp becomes the main focus of the story, which lacks common sense, and Saldana’s character has some melodramatic moments that will induce eye rolls.
That undoes any goodwill The Absence of Eden brings to the table.
The Absence of Eden is currently playing exclusively in theaters courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Vertical Entertainment.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-k7CJi7ZgU]
The Absence of Eden wastes a riveting Zoe Saldaña performance because the film shas has two narratives that are uneven. Then, when they intersect, they don't work together in any authentic way.
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GVN Rating
I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
