THE ABSENCE OF EDEN -- Real People, Real Struggles

Review by Adam Donato

Zoe Saldana in The Absence of Eden Courtesy of Vertical and Roadside Attractions.

The Absence of Eden tells parallel stories about a woman on the run from the cartel and an ICE agent struggling with the ethics of his job. The film is executively produced by Martin Scorsese, so eyebrows should be raised for this one. It's strange to see a movie with such prestigious backing not be granted a wide release, especially during a month with a minimum amount of box office heavy hitters. Zoe Saldana not only stars but is also a producer here. The star of huge action franchises such as Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Trek not being able to garner a major theatrical push is concerning. This is the first feature for writer/director Marco Perego, who has some experience producing a documentary and a short film. With the film's heavy subject matter, will it impact audiences who discover this one?

The best thing this film has going for it is the performances of the two leads. Everyone and their mother knows Saldana is one of the greatest actresses working today. While her time has been monopolized by giant science fiction franchises, it's exciting to see her star in a more serious role like this. Her character's story is heartbreaking as she does whatever she must to survive this cruel world. Immigration is a hot-button problem in the United States, and this film shows the terrible positions that people, especially women and children, are put in to get by. Saldana exemplifies the desperation of people going through these situations in such an impactful way. The resolve it takes to make some of these decisions is huge. 
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The other star is Garrett Hedlund, who audiences may recognize as the star of Tron: Legacy. His character is trying to make an honest living as an ICE agent, but he is put in compromising situations by those in need. He has a very deep voice and is a man of few words, but there are hints throughout the movie of how he became such a hardened and desensitized man. Hopefully, this role will be a step in the right direction for him.

Zoe Saldana in The Absence of Eden Courtesy of Vertical and Roadside Attractions.

The film is very short, at just under ninety minutes. While it feels like it got the necessities of the story covered, the runtime could afford an extra fifteen minutes or so to flesh things out and not feel so rushed. The themes are potent in this one, as the title alone leaves some food for thought. The film is titled The Absence of Eden because immigrants sometimes don't have a promised land they can call home. They live in such poor conditions and risk it all to live in a place where opportunity grows on trees. Any time the issue of safety for women and children is present, the stakes are as high as they can be. The Absence of Eden explores these dangers and the moral dilemma facing those not allowed to operate in a gray area. There are more visual metaphors in the film, especially at the beginning and the end, that will make audiences think about their intention. It's good when movies make people think. 

The Absence of Eden is a solid thriller and should be considered if it's found on VOD or streaming. After this directorial debut, Perego should garner more believers than just Scorsese. It will be exciting to see what he does next. The same goes for Saldana and Hedlund, who both equally carry this picture. This film tells an impactful story about real people and deserves an audience.

The Absence of Eden hits theaters on April 12.

Rating: 3/5