James Gandolfini is a brilliant actor. He is one of those rare talents that sneak in the back door to show business, hiding in the shadows until the public realizes just what a powerful artist he has always been. I, like many Americans, first began to notice Gandolfini through his work in the immensely successful HBO television series The Soprano’s. In the French/American hybrid film New World, Gandolfini is at top form yet again, playing an American soldier stationed in France in the 1950’s with more ...ime than responsibility.

As with most films you have never heard of, there is a reason why this one may have passed you by. Gandolfini only has a supporting role in this film, which is unfortunate, since he is by far the greatest actor herein. Excepting his performance, this is a film that starts off slow, coasts through the second act, and then finishes with a rousing series of events that made me use the word, “whaaaat?” on several occasions. While the plot seems to be going somewhere at first glance, be forewarned… it isn’t. The film’s bad editing is a perfect compliment to its equally bad script, making for a confusing and pointless film that considers making some daring statements throughout, but in the end makes no statements at all.