[yasr_overall_rating]
A crew of men who do the high-wire work of fixing the electrical grid are hit by a sudden deadly storm.
Boasting a noble cause with a premise about the men (and women – none of who were present in the film) who put themselves in harm’s way to keep the world running smoothly, the John Travolta and Kate Bosworth starrer “Life on the Line” fails to focus enough on the powerful part of its premise to be noteworthy. It’s a shame because the utility workers who ideally should’ve gotten their fifteen minutes of well-deserved fame and appreciation with the release of this flick, hardly receive even five minutes of it.
In the highly dramatized film about a small Texan town almost entirely composed of linemen and their families, the protagonist, Beau’s (John Travolta), daily grind consists of training newer linemen – one of which is his niece’s old flame, cue conflict – and repairing power lines around the town. While his life consists of his duty as a lineman, his world consists of his dedicated co-workers and the niece who became his adopted daughter after both her parents tragically died when she was young. Most of the movie is about said niece, interactions among the townsfolk, and Beau’s woes – which is the real tragedy. What could have been a compelling look into the risky world of utility workers turned out to be a most basic drama about a town with problems and the deeply clichéd personal lives of its citizens. Perhaps there just wasn’t a proper story to tell about the linemen to begin with, because the amount of filler content that is present the film is disheartening.
John Travolta’s performance is undoubtedly the best thing about the drama; he is convincing and likable through and through. He adds the refreshing element that none of the other cast members could quite bring to the table. Sharon Stone is wasted as the alcoholic widow of a lineman who died on duty and the mother of a new recruit. And in all the parts that should have been about linemen or the anticipation of the climactic storm at the end, Kate Bosworth and Devon Sawa’s longing for one another are inserted to fill more time. Fortunately, both actors do a decent job in their respective clichéd roles, and screen time is successfully wasted. Julie Benz, as the deprived and desperate wife of a lineman with demons from his past, is as good as ever. Needless to say, in terms of performances, they are the better part of the film.
All in all, “Life on the Line” is too distracted a screenplay, or simply too small a concept, to leave a mark. When it focuses in on the linemen – specifically on all the worst case scenarios that are highlighted in the film – the screenplay is at its best. It’s not the worst option for movie night, but unless you have nothing better to do, skip this one.
In theaters & on VOD Friday, November 18th
