Gerry is the name of both protagonists, who are introduced riding in a dusty car through Death Valley. Van Sant shows them in long shot, mid-shot and finally close-up, holding each shot interminably. It's a portent of longer shots to come.

The Gerrys decide to park the car and walk the Wilderness Trail. But early on, they head off the marked trail to find "the thing." That's when you realize this isn't just a movie about a hike gone wrong. It's a Metaphysical Journey. Yea, though we walk through Death Valley ...

They kid around. They get lost. They climb mountains to see where they are. They stage a mildly funny clown show when Affleck gets stuck on top of a rock. They get more lost. As time passes and hunger and thirst set in, they realize this could be serious.

To his credit, Van Sant is trying something more experimental than his recent warm 'n' cozy movies like "Finding Forrester." As he circles his actors in loooong slow loops or fixes on them in loooooonger profile close-up, they improvise dialogue that's bargain-basement Beckett at best. Almost inevitably, your mind drifts. You find yourself putting together a grocery list. Wondering if you'll get home before the dog stains the carpet. Trying to decide why Casey is better-looking than his more famous brother.

Yet, the film has a weird on-and-off appeal. You get hooked on its sheer contrariness -- a hard-headed attempt to balance its inherent pretentiousness with its marked prettiness. (The landscapes are gorgeous.) The film is inherently silly, yet egregiously sure of itself. So you drift back in, then out, then in, then ... If nothing else, "Gerry" is restful, though I'm not sure that counts as a recommendation.