Solitude (DVD)

Soledad (a hippie, free spirited artist) takes a leap of faith and runs off with Hilary (an enigmatic sales woman she meets) and so begins the story of two young lesbian lovers who begin a road trip, you ll never forget. When their car breaks down near Flagstaff - the 'fun and games' begin when Hilary s brother Louis picks them up and sets in motion a psychological power-play delving into the darkest parts of our minds as it s played out in the suburban desert of Arizona.

REVIEW
Arizona Desert Provides Stark Setting for Dysfunction-Driven Psycho-Drama These first-time filmmakers have produced a multi-layered mystery every bit as intriguing as the best whodunit one might expect from a big Hollywood studio. At first focus we find a bonding bohemian twosome, Hilary (Mary Thornton) and Soledad (Ronne Orenna), cozily floundering in a flophouse on a commune in the desert somewhere outside of Phoenix. As the story opens, they've agreed to relocate to Flagstaff, with plans of having Hilary act as agent for Native American artist Soledad. But after packing her portfolio, Soledad discovers that the pick-up truck won't start. The determined duo then head over to Hilary's depressed brother's unsanitary pig-sty of an apartment to borrow his car. Lucky for lazy slob Louis (Patrick Belton), they arrive just in time to prevent the bottomed-out loser from slitting his wrists. Instead of continuing out of town, Hilary convinces an understandingly alarmed Soledad that they need to move in, at least until her suicidal sibling sobers up and stabilizes mentally. What ensues is an ever-escalating, sexually-charged game of give-and-take, fueled by alcohol, pot, pills and plenty of selfish manipulation. Congrats to the cast for expertly executing Ware and Kraker s cleverly-crafted script which often seems so sophisticated that it must have been meant for the stage. It s stocked with enough twists to keep any audience on the edge of its seat every step of the way and wondering exactly who s kidding who here. Are the women lesbians and lovers? Is the dysfunctional, co-dependent brother-sister relationship incestuous? Are Soledad and Louis attracted to each other? How these possible permutations will play out in this combustible, claustrophobic pressure cooker is anybody s guess. A lacerating look at three lives on the edge. Excellent (4 stars). --Kam Williams, Philadelphia Sun

Sibling Slugfest, à la George and Martha An intersibling death match reminiscent of Sam Shepard's "True West," the independent feature "Solitude" details the tortured, possibly incestuous relationship between Hilary (Mary Thornton), a dark, hyperactive young lesbian with grand ambitions, and her brother, Louis (Patrick Belton), a twitchy, bipolar idler who lives in a cramped Phoenix apartment. Hilary turns up on Louis's doorstep with her new girlfriend, Soledad (Ronne Orenna), an amateur painter whom Hilary hopes to turn into the next big name in desert landscape art. But Hilary's real motivations run much deeper and darker. The car is just an excuse to introduce the sweet, trusting Soledad to the bitterly sarcastic and fiercely destructive Louis, and set her up as a reluctant witness to the cruel psychological games the two siblings have been playing for most of their lives. "Are you sure you don't want a beer?" Written and directed by Susan Kraker and Pi Ware, "Solitude" has the claustrophobic feel of an Off- Broadway production, despite the sweeping desert landscape that frames the events. As Louis and Hilary slash away at each other, digging into a traumatic childhood dominated by a dismissive father and a depressive mother, they seem to merge into a single, angry mass. If they are not physically involved with each other, they are more emotionally intertwined than most married couples. The screaming matches make for some vivid theatrical moments, and Mr. Belton is particularly good at conveying Louis's manic ups and downs. He has one extended monologue,