Fluentiama Perfect cast and a good story

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Adeel Hail Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

JAMES BROOKS Being a fan of actress Virginia Madsen, I have been especially looking forward to seeing this movie, and have long sought a copy for my video collection.After finally locating one through a source in Austrailia, I recently saw it and found it to be worth the wait.For the life of me, I don't know why this film didn't get more attention; then again I am sure there are reasons, such as being an independent film and automatically not going beyond the art houses, and perhaps the cast being mostly middle-aged and older, which probably would not interest the Gen Xers.It is a shame though, being such a fine film, with a good story and a great cast, and not to mention one of Virginia Madsen's best performances.One thing for certain is that Virginia has remained consistent, in that she seems to do her best work in movies no one ever gets to see, such as her remarkable performance in "American Gun", in which we watch her character successfully age from a teenager to middle-age.Once again, another film that deserved more attention, but at least it is on video and has even been on cable once or twice.From what I have been reading lately, she seems to want to continue making independent movies in the future, a very wise move if you ask me, when you consider her early career and her treatment in 'mainstream' movies.I hope with her unqualified success in "Sideways", she will now be noticed, and that she will get much better roles that are worthy of her in much better films; though admittedly it is going to be hard to top her Oscar-nominated performance as Maya.In any event, she deserves it !!!In regards to this film, the producers do a great deal with their limited budget and resources, by cleverly telling a 'story within a story', that is the making a 'bio-pic' about actor James Dean.This gives the film a rather warm, nostalgic feel; as does the retro-50's gas station reopened by John Mahoney's character; and though the cast is decidedly older and middle-aged (hard to think of Virginia Madsen that way !!!), there is a slight nod to the Xers in the cast as well.Too bad that this film never found its audience, especially with such a likable cast, that includes an array of quirky and lovable characters, for this is a movie I would want to see often, even if Virginia Madsen wasn't in the cast. In the past, more often than not, when I found any movie Virginia Madsen was in, I tend to just zip through it to note what scenes she appeared in, then putting the video away to gather dust somewhere.Not this time !!!In my opinion, "Almost Salinas" is an example of what an independent film is all about, and hopefully is a reflection of not only Virginia Madsen's continued good fortune, but also a general trend towards what film should be; that is a production that deals in more human terms and away from the big-budget spectacles that have been shoved down the public's throat lately. Take my word on this, seek this one out by all means, even if you have to go to Austrailia to find a copy, like I did.You won't regret it !!!

CineCritic2003 I just saw a wonderful little independent film starring John Mahoney as the lead character amongst a bunch of interesting characters who come together when a movie director decides to use Mahoney's roadside diner as the main location for his biopic on James Dean. Dean supposedly drove off the road to his death very near the diner, and in the film within the film he is shown visiting the diner before his fateful ride. By the way, both the film and the film within the film are loosely based on what actually happened to Dean.The location of Mahoney's diner, and the surrounding mountainous terrain is a beautiful, but desolate location where only these types of goofy but lovable characters would find themselves eeking out their existence living off the legend of James Dean. The film's main focus is the development of the characters and how they intertwine with each other. The plot revolves around the making of the movie, and Mahoney's dealing with an incident in his past that he hasn't figured out how to deal with yet.The cinematography, and score are outstanding, as is the direction, with some very nice touches both musically and visually to accentuate tone, and mood. The entire cast does a great job in their roles, and first time director Terry Green (who also wrote the screenplay) does a good job of bringing the characters together for some interesting situations including some great dialogue. There seems to be real chemistry between these characters and they are a lot of fun to watch.Both the basic plot of the film, and the focus of the film on developing characters reminded me of David Mamet's "State and Main". We see behind the scenes of a movie set, and see how the characters from Hollywood interact with the small-town characters with some very humorous results.The movie overall has a good vibe about it as you really enjoy learning more about the characters as the film goes on. This film reminded me of "Murphy's Romance", with Mahoney similar to James Garner's "Murphy", and the rest of the cast looking to him as the wisest of the bunch. I found myself not wanting the movie to end, as I would like to continue to be with these characters to see what would actually become of them after the movie people left town. I liked these characters that much.So in the end the movie's main strength is its characters, along with some beautiful cinematography, a good story, and some fine direction to bring it all together. I highly recommend this film. See it if you can, it's an interesting and enjoyable ride.

arthur l This was a very well told story. The performances were excellent, and the characters were memorable. It was particularly well photographed. It is the kind of film that the whole family can enjoy, since it did not rely on sex or violence, but rather on the meaningful relationships of the characters. It evoked nostalgia for the James Dean story, around which the plot revolves.

hang10 The poignant complexity of "Almost Salinas" was beautifully superimposed on the intoxicating beauty of a seemingly godforsaken stretch of an isolated stretch of California highway. "Almost Salinas" was a movie about a movie in production, depicting James Dean's fatal car crash on his way to Salinas. In a masterful and creative way, John Green used film production, his own medium, to metaphorically allow the viewer to peer into the complex lives of very simple people. Viewers are treated to stunning cinematography as well as a well written script. This movie is a sleeper. John Green has done a superb job. I wish him well.