Milwaukee, Minnesota

Milwaukee, Minnesota is an engaging story about Albert, a mentally retarded ice fisher in Milwaukee (which keen observers of American geography will note is actually in Wisconsin). It starts out gently, but quickly turns into a mystery, with various parties vying for Albert’s attention and the money left after his over-protective mother died.

Albert is played by Troy Garity, who at times looks uncannily like Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Good supporting performances come from Randy Quaid and others, who do a good job of conveying complex sub-plots and old grievances without saying a word.

The film has a few beautiful external scenes, particularly when Albert is ice fishing, as well a superb closing shot (which I won’t spoil by describing). However, there is a strange greenish-yellow tint to many other scenes, particularly those indoors. It looks like it’s probably deliberate, but I’m not quite sure why: personally, I find it distracting. Despite this, Milwaukee, Minnesota is a well-executed low-budget film with a strong story and good characterisation. Well worth a watch.