By Chris McMorrow

Hollywood is a tough town for a lonely cowboy, especially one that insists on partying like a rock star well past his prime. Don't come Knocking is the latest collaboration between screenwriter Sam Shepherd and director Wim Wenders since the 80's art-house classic Paris, Texas and offers another journey of redemption and self-discovery against an exquisitely bleak American landscape.

Shepherd plays Howard Spence, a rapidly aging actor who flees his movie set and tenuous grip on reality in search of answers, himself and a modicum of dignity. He quickly finds himself face to face with the casualties of his wayward lifestyle when he discovers the existence of a long lost son and daughter that have grown up without him. Eager to make contact and mend fences, he sets off in search of his would be family in beautifully spooky Butte, Montana.

What follows is a somewhat familiar tale of the half-formed family and turmoil that results from reconnection. Jessica Lange as the forgotten ex-lover and Gabriel Mann as Howard's inconsolable son deliver raw and compelling performances but can't make up for the lack of emotional punch when it comes to defining moments of the film. Powerful confrontations between father and son fail to materialize as they are magically defused by Sarah Polley's overly ethereal portrayal of Howard's daughter. Her role as an angelic intermediary feels like an afterthought, uncomfortably bringing the broken parts of her family back together in the wake of what should be a car crash of unresolved feelings on all sides.

Stunning cinematography stands out as the true protagonist of the film, and ultimately make it worth the trip. Events transpire in a netherworld that exists somewhere between sunrise and sunset, and cares little for people and their petty problems. A unique affection for America's remaining wide-open spaces is intoxicating and infectious but will leave even the most diehard fans disappointed by this latest effort from Wenders and Shepherd.

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