Beat - B+
By Kage Alan

After a brief introduction to a group of characters in college and a murder that occurs at that time, “Beat” picks up some years later with William S. Burroughs, his wife Joan and their two children living in Mexico City. She’s very unhappy that he’s leaving on vacation with one of his male lovers while she remains stuck at home. Fortunately, some old friends of theirs, Lucien Carr and Allen Ginsberg, are on their way from New York to visit for a short time.

What unfolds during each of their respective “vacations” is William’s unhappiness with what he is and isn’t getting out of his marriage to Joan and affair with Lee while Joan deals with her desire for more out of life than what she has. Lucien lets his feelings for her emerge while Allen copes with his unrequited love for Lucien. It’s the oddest damn bunch of people and issues. Lucien and Allen soon leave to go back to New York and William comes home, none of them able to change their current paths in life. Nobody is getting what they want or need and as the stress levels continue to rise, tragedy is just a heartbeat away.

For a modestly budgeted production, “Beat” boasts some excellent cinematography, an able cast featuring Kiefer Sutherland and Courtney Love and a pace that doesn’t overstay it’s rather short 80 minute running time. It’s not a clear-cut linear story with lots of extraneous dialogue. If anything, the dialogue carries a great deal more weight than the number of words coming out of their mouths would suggest. As for what it says about the human condition, perhaps that is best left up to each individual viewer to decide.