'Across the River and Into the Trees' Reviews: "a career-best" for Liev Schreiber

         On August 30, 2024, Level 33 Entertainment released 'Across the River and Into the Trees', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "American Army Col. Richard Cantwell, is a bona fide war hero who faces news of his terminal illness with stoic disregard. Determined to spend his weekend in quiet solitude, he commandeers a military driver to facilitate what is likely a final duck hunting trip and visit to his old haunts in Venice. As Cantwell's plans begin to unravel, a chance encounter with a young countess begins to kindle in him the hope of renewal. Based on the last full-length novel Hemingway published in his lifetime, Across The River and Into The Trees captures a fleeting moment of immortality where time stands still. The story contains the great Hemingway themes of love, war, youth and age." The ensemble cast includes Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston, Enzo Cilenti, Josh Hutcherson, Matilda De Angelis, and Sabrina Impacciatore. Read the full review round-up below.

Photo by Isaac Moore on Unsplash

        Avi Offer of NYC Movie Guru writes, "In Across the River and Into the Trees,  Richard Cantwell (Liev Schreiber), an American army colonel, learns that he's terminally ill. He embarks on a trip to Venice with  Sergeant Jackson (Josh Hutcherson) as his driver and flirts with Renata Contarini (Matilda de Angelis), the daughter of a countess (Laura Morante), who's about to marry Antonio (Giulio Berruti). Little does Renata or her mother know that Richard will be dying imminently. The screenplay by Peter Flannery bites off more than it could chew with a mildly engaging story set during WWII. It juggles many topics including love, death and war, but fails to pack an emotional punch. There are a few moments of melancholy which feel tender and understated, especially when it comes to the nuanced performance of Liev Schreiber. The poetic imagery enriches the film, but they're quite heavy-handed. Perhaps Across the River and Into the Trees's issues stem from the source material, the novel by Ernest Hemmingway which isn't as powerful or haunting as his other novels. To be fair, condensing the novel into a film that's under 2 hours is no easy task, but it's easier to get inside Richard's heart, mind and soul in the novel than in the film. In an underdeveloped subplot, he's grieving the death of his son who was killed in a concentration camp. The film has a lot of potential to be more dark and unflinching, but it squanders those opportunities more often than not. The cinematography is superb, though, while making the most out of the picturesque setting in Venice."

       Dan Mecca of The Film Stage notes, "Here is a handsome film that is decidedly modest in its endeavor. The best thing going for it is Liev Schreiber as Colonel Richard Cantwell, the lead of the picture." Continuing, "All of this being said, the central relationship and the on-off conversation between the two leads is the reason to watch this movie, much as it is the highlight of Hemingway’s novel. Everything else is deeply secondary. Laura Morante puts in good work as Contessa Contarini (Renata’s mother) and cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe does incredible work. Across the River and into the Trees played film festivals two years ago and is finally seeing a very limited release late in the summer of 2024. This is a film worth discovering, ideally after immersing yourself in the underrated novel."

        Maggie Lovitt of Collider praises the film, stating, "Whether it’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a Wes Anderson film, or Ray Donovan, Liev Schreiber always gives 110% in whatever role he is playing, but Across the River and Into the Trees may be a career-best for him. There’s a certain level of nuance required to portray the Colonel as Hemingway wrote him, coupled with having the ability to play into the inherent duality of man. Richard is a man who has killed his fellow man while engaged in the theater of war, and yet he’s still able to be this gentle man. His bloodstained and scarred hands are able to hold Renata’s unblemished hands. He and De Angelis have electric chemistry, and are both able to play Richard and Renata’s relationship with a level of reverence for each other that elevates their performances. It feels like a tour de force for Schreiber, who beautifully inhabits this tragic hero as he reckons with life, death, and the inevitability of both ruin and heal us all. Together they turn Across the River and Into the Trees into more than just a tragic tale, but a tragic romance as well."

       Valerie Kalfrin of AWFJ.org says, "Building to a cleansing if wrenching denouement, Across the River and Into the Trees is a thoughtful journey of absolution. ... Liev Schreiber delivers an achingly poignant performance."