MOVIE REVIEW : ‘Oasis’ Aims for Rural Noir With Southern Gothic Vibes

“The Crude Oasis” takes a long time getting to where it wants to go. Since we’re generally way ahead of it anyway, this is a problem.

Karen Webb (Jennifer Taylor) lives in a Kansas nowheresville with a blank husband (Robert Peterson) who disappears every night. Suicidal, plagued by recurring bad dreams, she encounters a gas station attendant (Aaron Shields) who is the mysterious star of those dreams. Instead of attempting to end it all, she secretly follows the guy on his nightly rounds at an out-of-the-way bar.

Alex Graves, the first-time writer-director, made this feature in two weeks for about $25,000. He’s trying for a rural noir with Southern Gothic vibes, and it’s not an easy meld. (Steve Kloves, the writer-director of “Flesh and Bone” a few years back, almost did it.)

The actors mostly seem to be in a fog and the snail’s pace doesn’t make you want to find out if they’ll pull out of it. There’s a good lovemaking scene back-dropped by a prairie lightning storm that indicates Graves might one day make a good florid movie if he keeps his eyes open and his head clear.

* MPAA rating: R, for language . Times guidelines: It includes mild sex scene.

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‘The Crude Oasis’ Jennifer Taylor: Karen Webb Aaron Shields: Harley Underwood Robert Peterson: Jim Webb Mussef Sibay: Earp A Miramax Films presentation. Director-producer-writer-editor Alex Graves. Cinematographer Steven Quale. Steven Bramson. Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes.

* At the Samuel Goldwyn Pavilion Cinema; Westside Pavilion; Pico between Westwood and Overland; (310) 475-0202.