This is a film that is going to take some serious analysis before I am satisfied. I wasn't expecting to be blown away when I went to see it, but I was expecting a little bit more than what I received. And, there was really no reason for me to not receive what I wanted, other than the utter breakdown of the directorial process. I blame every one of this film's failures on the director -- Reverge Anselmo. In the hands of a more gifted filmmakers, i.e. Lasse Halstrom, Frank Darabont, this film could have been a tour de force, especially when you look at all of the talented faces on screen.

      "Stateside" tells the story of Mark Deloach (Jonathan Tucker), a Catholic School rebel who gets into a car accident and ends up paralyzing Father Concoff (Ed Begley, Jr.) from the waiste down. Being a man of God, the Father does not sue the boy, so Mark's millionaire dad (Joe Montegna) wheels and deals to make sure his son avoids jail time. Instead, Mark is forced to join the Marines, where he is placed under the guidance and supervision of SDI Skeer (Val Kilmer). On leave from the military, Mark goes to visit his girlfriend Sue (Agnes Bruckner), but falls for Dori (Rachel Leigh Cook), her mentally unbalanced roommate. Now, that is a lot of plot to digest -- and it is not as hard to do as it seems -- it just leaves you feeling a little unsatisfied.

      I suppose "Stateside" is suppose to be a life lesson on how the Marines changes the central character into a man, and I guess the director and other filmmakers thought that was a great message to convey during this current time of war. However, I saw this film as the story of a stupid kid who made stupid mistakes and wound up just as miserable, if not more so, than when he started. Mark was the least interesting character in the whole film. I would have loved to have seen an entire film about Father Concoff, the man who refused to press charges; or even Sue's mother, played marvelously by Carrie Fisher. Jonathan Tucker is a fine actor most of the time, but he is so boring and lifeless here when he does not necessarily need to be.

      Another fault in "Stateside" is some of the casting. Val Kilmer chews up every scene he is in, but in a very bad 'this is the worst career mistake I have ever made' kind of way. He is dying to be R. Lee Ermey from "Full Metal Jacket", but winds up seeming more like a timid Viggo Mortenson from "GI Jane". And Penny Marshall? What in the hell is she doing acting again? She needs to stay behind the camera -- as long as she doesn't keep cranking out mushy crap as per her usual. Plus, the always strong Joe Montegna was miscast as the millionaire dad. Just look at the comparisons between this film and "The United States of Leland" -- (01) both of the films have 'state' in their title; (02) there are millionaire dads in both, Kevin Spacey and Joe Montegna; (03) both center around young men who made mistakes and are paying for them; (04) both films have mentally unstable female leads. these are like sister films, only "The United States of Leland" works a little better.

      Blame all of this mess on the director, and no one else, other than Val Kilmer. The young actors do the best they can, and the older actors seem bewildered and annoyed. I don't expect any huge things out of this film, and neither should you. Catch it on Sundance one day and you might be temporarily amused. For more bang for your buck, check out the film "Tully" -- it is one hell of a great picture and something you will remember for a long time to come.