LYMELIFE

DETAILS 15/94 mins./July 2

DIRECTOR Derick Martini CAST Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin, Rieran Culkin, Jill Hennessy, Timothy Hutton

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THIS AT TIMES DARKLY COMIC, '70s-set dysfunctional family drama is the baby of Martini brothers Derick (co-wrote, directed) and Steven (co-wrote, produced), whose childhoods in the 'burbs informed the coming-of-ageing. It's a tale of aspiration, property development, infidelity, innocence lost, bullying, betrayal and despair, as perceived by Rory Culkin's teen, who has to move the Star Wars toys off his bed when the girl next door seduces him. It's very like The Ice Storm - but not as good - although Martini does well enough on a small budget to have bagged the Toronto fest critics' Discovery award. What makes it is the outstanding ensemble, notably Alec Baldwin and Timothy Hutton. AE ***