Very emotional portrayal of a strained and broken family unit where half of the family doesn't even know (where) one of the members is living. It's a sad film. Scope photography is some of the best out there and this is one of the primo examples of why. The performances across the board throughout each scene display a genuine smorgasbord of real emotion that loudly jumps off the screen. Dean's physicality is unmatched and I think this is one of the most inspiring and inspired performances out there, everything about Cal, even though it's hidden under a shielded exterior, is known by the end of the movie. He is not one-note, not one character feels that way here, and the way the arc is presented feels natural. This is why I think movies like this, and in general, need slower scenes in order for the characters to become fully realized by the time the credits roll. I feel like I know and am connected to Cal Trask so much more than I was connected to a character like Captain America who has been fleshed out through a decade of films.
Review of East of Eden
