Watch 3 Backyards

3 Backyards is a thought-provoking drama movie from 2010 that delves into the lives of three individuals living in a small Long Island town. Each of them tells their story, and as the tale unfolds, the audience becomes increasingly aware of the interconnectedness of their lives, as a shared sense of loneliness, fear, and unfulfillment slowly unfolds.

The director and writer, Eric Mendelsohn, has a unique cinematic vision, and that is quite evident in the way the story is told where the use of sound and visuals are well-crafted. The sound design plays an integral part in the movie, the director uses the sound to help guide the audience to some profound reflection on the fragile nature of life.

The movie opens with Peggy (Edie Falco), a suburban wife and mother, frantically dashing around her house preparing for her day while trying to balance work and family life. Her wife tells her to drop their daughter to school before taking off to work, but on her return trip, Peggy ends up taking a wrong turn and starts to stumble upon the secrets lurking beneath the surface of her seemingly tranquil neighborhood.

The next focus of the movie is John (Elias Koteas), a onetime high school football hero who never left town and now works as the townie's tow-truck driver. John's routine workday is unexpectedly derailed from a task when he is called on to drive an attractive and curious housewife (Rachel Resheff) out to the village to buy flowers for her household. Through their conversation, John realizes that his desire to break out of his lonely routine may come at a dangerous price.

The last character in the movie is a young girl, Christina (Rachel Resheff), who is embarks on a strange and mysterious voyage in a bid to skip a day of school. Christina finds herself floundering in the nearby woods, far away from the routine and structure of her toy-filled apartment. While wandering, she ends up meeting a reclusive elderly neighbor (Kathryn Erbe), and the two form an unlikely friendship.

As each person's story unfolds, the audience becomes more invested in their lives and their struggles, and we see how seemingly insignificant actions can have a far-reaching impact on each of their lives. The tone of the movie is melancholic and introspective, focusing on the raw and honest portrayal of mundane lives which can bring about contemplative moments.

The movie's strength is the performances of the actors that carried the tale. Edie Falco gives a restrained and nuanced performance as a woman grappling with her sense of alienation and profound doubt; Elias Koteas brings a vulnerability and depth to his role as a man searching to break away from the monotony of his lonely life, while Kathryn Erbe captivates the audience with her quiet and restrained performance as an old woman embracing her isolation while forging an unlikely friendship.

In conclusion, 3 Backyards is a fascinating and powerful story of the lives of people living in a small town. Eric Mendelsohn showcases his directorial maturity, creating a beguiling, thought-provoking movie with a strong script and immersive sound design. The movie serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of human lives and how our lives can intersect in unexpected ways, offering a gripping portrayal of the inner lives of seemingly ordinary people. It's an engrossing watch that, while not providing answers to some questions, leaves you with a mesmerizing and thought-provoking experience, a reflection of the complexities of modern life.