I am still not sure what this film is about. It is a small town in Death Valley where the people are very private and very secluded. This documentary tries to profile not just the town but the individuals inside the town. Incidentally, the town was named after a doctor who had no relation to Charles Darwin.
I'm confused about how the economy in this town works. The Postmaster for the town proudly declares he job as the best in town, as it is also the only one in town. So... the town income of $18,000 for all water is a main focal concern, but it's unclear where any of that comes from. Almost everyone in the town appears to be a writer or an artist or something which does not result in a substantial tangible income.
But, the larger concerns are periphery to the smaller concerns. We see the profile of the trans-gender man who moved to Darwin and has been generally well accepted with his partner. We learn his backstory from his mother, and she candidly talks about the difficulties that she had with it and how it resolved.
We learn about the anarchist, the survivalists, the pagans, and a very eclectic mix of trailer-dwelling poor people who swear they will never leave their dear town. It's not clear why they are all so attached to the town at first, but then you get a sense that the feeling of community, pioneer spirit, and independence combines to make them proud of where they live.
The whole thing is very surreal at times. Some of the people look and act like caricatures you would expect to see in a movie like The Life Aquatic or The Royal Tenenbaums. the way the camera is used and the way the people speak just adds to the whole oddness of the movie. It's got a lot of dead space in between shots to add to the uncomfortable feeling, but it's intentional and still compelling.
4.0/5