Here's a recipe for an interesting character. Combine the looks and grandfather-like ways of Henry Fonda in his later roles with liberal amounts of the more stoic and stiff-jawed characters that Clint Eastwood has played. The yield: One Ulee Jackson, the patriarch of the Jackson clan in "Ulee's Gold."
While it's hard to think of Peter Fonda (of "Easy Rider" fame) in this sort of role, he convincingly pulls it off in a performance that returned him to the Hollywood spotlight (and earned him an Oscar nomination). At first, his slow, almost forced delivery is unsettling and almost makes one think that the wrong actor was cast in the part. As the story progresses, however, you quickly start to like this guy, want to know more about him, and realize that Fonda is perfectly playing him.
Having lost his trademark long locks and donning a pair of grandfather-like wire rim spectacles, Fonda at times uncannily looks like his dad, and that amazing resemblance works in his favor. While the story is a bit slow, and was intentionally paced that way, it's more than suitable to showcase Fonda and the other cast members’ fine performances.
Like those stoic characters that Eastwood so popularized, one imagines that Ulee will explode as the pressure cooker of his life puts the squeeze on him. Some early foreshadowing leads us to that expectation, but it's great to see that director Victor Nunez ("Ruby in Paradise") took the high ground and avoided the anticipated "butt-kicking" conclusion. That obviously won't sit well with those looking for the stereotypical Dirty Harry like retribution, but then again those audience members probably won't be seeing this film. While not for everyone’s tastes or tempo, this surprisingly effective little film should prove to be a worthwhile viewing for those willing to give it time to develop and work its way over them.
As far as the disc goes, the picture quality is somewhat of a disappointment, but the mostly dialogue driven soundtrack is a bit better. Supplemental materials (the original theatrical trailer and a 6-page booklet insert) are rather lacking.