Elizabethtown (2006)

Despite the manipulative and trite mechanisms that detract from Elizabethtown — the pop-addled soundtrack, the two-hour-plus run time — the film is at least thematically consistent with director Cameron Crowe's more rewarding works. The lyrical romance between despondent corporate failure Drew (Orlando Bloom) and poetic optimist Claire (Kirsten Dunst) recalls the soulful coupling in the compulsively engaging Almost Famous. But that's where the similarities end. Crowe's elegy to mourning could have benefited from more condensed storytelling. Tip: Now that it's on DVD, fast-forward through the more laborious sequences (especially the needlessly drawn-out roadtrip ending). EXTRAS Just 10 minutes of extended scenes, a couple of brief docs showcasing the cast's on-set camaraderie, and a dense, aimless photo gallery. Sadly, a director's commentary, where the always eloquent Crowe could have taken a shot at self-justification, is absent.

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