ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Blythe Danner

Strange But True: Life, Death and Nothing in Between

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When Phillip (Nick Robinson) receives a visit from Melissa (Margaret Qualley), the former girlfriend of his late-brother Ronnie, old wounds are re-opened when she claims that his brother is also the father of her unborn child. Since Ronnie’s death was over five years ago, Phillip and his mother, Charlene (Amy Ryan) are rightly enfuriated and hurt by the seemingly ridiculous scenario. Even so, Melissa’s earnestness causes Phillip to begin to question the truth of her claim and sets out on a quest to unravel the truth about her child and, potentially, spiritual realities as well.

Directed by Rowan Athale (The Revolt), Strange But True has a stellar cast and high concept that unfortunately never really settles on what type of film it wants to be. Despite featuring such incredible talents as Blythe Danner, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan and more, the film simply doesn’t come together. Opening with an engaging premise that the unborn child may be that of the long-deceased Ronnie, the film sets itself up as an exploration humanity’s relationship with the unknown. However, as the film progresses, Strange gradually moves away from its more complex themes and settles in as yet another generic thriller. 

Without question, the strongest aspect of the film is its interest in grappling with the nature of belief. Guilt-ridden by the death of her lost love, Melissa’s decision to approach Charlene about the child’s potential parentage seems reckless and even unkind. Nevertheless, her claims have a ripple affect within the family, especially within Phillip’s heart. A skeptic himself, the potential of supernatural birth seems absurd to Phillip yet her steadfast belief causes him to question his own understanding of the universe. As he steps out on a journey to understand the spiritual realm, Phillip recognizes that his own personal blinders may be keeping him from understanding something more. In moments such as these, Strange seems to be opening the door for deeper conversations about the space between life and death.

Nevertheless, without offering spoilers, the film is quick to shut the doors on these potentially powerful conversations, opting for the more standard approach that the ‘truth brings pain’. In doing so, Strange tries to balance two conflicting arguments. On the one hand, the film points out that holding belief is an acceptable way of life that can provide hope. However, it also argues that hope in the beyond often serves as a way to merely distract us from the horrors of reality. As a result, Strange attempts to walk the line between hope and horror but struggles to maintain its stability in the process.

Without question, the most frustrating aspect of Strange But True is that it simply feels like a wasted opportunity. Filled with a quality cast of Oscar notables and young talent, Strange has the potential to be something truly special. However, with a meandering script that settles for less, Strange misses the mark and leaves its audience with answers that leave them in the dark.

Strange But True is available on VOD now.

The Tomorrow Man – Earthly Treasures

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Blythe Danner and John Lithgow appear in The Tomorrow Man by Noble Jones.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says,  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19ff, NRSV). In The Tomorrow Man we see two people who in different ways are storing up eccentric treasures that overwhelm their lives. But when they manage to come together, they get the opportunity for a more fulfilling treasure.

Ed Hemsler (John Lithgow) is a survivalist who expects an apocalyptic societal meltdown to come any day. He has stocked up on everything he’ll need to get through the coming chaos. He sees Ronnie Meisner (Blythe Danner) paying with cash at the store and assumes she is a kindred spirit. He is also attracted to her romantically. After a few misfires, they begin a relationship. But they both have secret obsessions. We know Ed’s, but Ronnie’s remains hidden from us and Ed for most of the film. For both Ed and Ronnie, the “treasures” they are accumulating serve to fill a void in their lives that grow from loss and insecurity. When they come together, perhaps if offers them the chance to fill those voids with the love of another person.

There is also a subplot involving Ed’s son Brian (Derek Cecil) who is semi-estranged from Ed because of Ed’s strident pessimism and survivalist outlook. Ed spends a good deal of time on the internet pushing his apocalyptic worldview. Brian would just like a relationship with his father that wasn’t seen through Ed’s lens of paranoia.

This is a senior romcom, but the comedy doesn’t quite click. Lithgow and Danner do a nice job of portraying the awkwardness of new romance (they act very much like teenagers in the early stages), but it’s also kind of hard to buy into their growing relationship. Those who read my reports from the Newport Beach Film Festival, might recall that I only rated this film “fair” on my audience ballot.

The issue of trust in material goods becomes the issue that begins to come between Ed and Ronnie. But at one point the question of finding what will bring you joy is raised.  There is a certain Marie Kondo vibe at this point, but even at that, it doesn’t necessarily solve the problems between Ed and Ronnie. But the realization that the joys they have from the things they have accumulated may not be totally fulfilling is what gives them a chance to move into a new relationship. That offers us an opportunity to consider the various possessions and ideas that clutter our lives. Some may bring us joy, but they may also interfere with finding deeper happiness. As Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Friday at #NBFF20

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The 20th edition of the Newport Beach Film Festival presented by Pacific Sales is now up and running. Films are shown at several venues, including Starlight Cinemas, Edward’s Big Newport Cinemas, the historic Lido Theater, and The Lot in Fashion Island. If you’re in the area, schedule and tickets can be found at the festival website.

I started my festival viewing with a Canadian film, Happy Face, by director Alexandre Franchi. A 19 year old young man named Stan (Robin L’Houmeau) whose mother is dealing with cancer disguises himself to join a support group for people with severe deformities. He thinks he’s trying to understand her better, but he’s subconsciously trying to avoid the reality of her disease. The group leader wants to focus on dealing with feelings, but Stan brings an “in your face” approach to the group. With a strange (but effective) mixture of Don Quixote and Dungeons and Dragons, Stan empowers the group members to confront the world that finds them hideous. He also finds in them the strength to face his mother’s death. On my ballot for audience awards (ratings: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor) I gave it a Good (I’m fairly stingy with Excellent).

One of the Spotlight films for Friday night was The Tomorrow Man, from director Noble Jones. It is a senior RomCom (although it’s a bit light on the Com) focusing on survivalist Ed Hemsler (John Lithgow) and Ronnie Meisner (Blythe Danner). As they get to know each other we watch as they go through some teenage-like awkwardness, and slowly develop their relationship, Ed thinks the world as we know it will soon end. He’s stockpiled everything he’ll need at home. Ronnie has a secret she wants to keep hidden from Ed. Both of their hidden lifestyles are ways they are trying to cope with loss and insecurities. Maybe coming together will fill the holes each has in their lives. The relationship never quite worked for me, so I only gave this a Fair on my ballot. The Tomorrow Man is due out in theaters later in May.

What They Had: Remembering to Forget

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“What do you mean she’s gone?”

In What They Had, Nick (Michael Shannon) opens with the phone call that every adult dreads: that their mother (Blythe Danner), Ruth’s dementia has caused her to wander into the night. As a result, Nick calls his sister, Bridget (Hilary Swank) and asks her to come home in an effort to convince their father Burt (Robert Forster) to begin the process of moving them into a proper senior’s facility. Struggling to hold on to his way of life, Burt is resistant, arguing that he is the best care for his wife in her time of need. As a result, Nick and Bridget must struggle to decide what’s best for their parents in their advanced age.

While it should be no surprise that a film anchored by Michael Shannon, Hilary Swank and Blythe Danner consists of strong performances, What They Had gains its true power from its authenticity. Using Bridget as the film’s emotional balance, the film accurately portrays the heartbreak and struggle that comes with having to care for one’s parents. In fact, one of the best aspects of the film is the manner in which it both affirms and challenges the voice of the elderly within the film. For every moment that Nick points out the truth that their parents’ safety is at risk, there is another which seems to justify Burt’s claim that he is still Ruth’s best caregiver. In doing so, the film manages to both honour the power of Burt and Ruth’s story while, at the same time, affirming Nick’s claim that they are unable to continue as they have.

The core of the film lies its exploration into the power of love, especially within the context of Burt and Ruth’s relationship. As Ruth continues to lose herself to her dementia, Burt’s deep love for his wife translate as her personal salvation. Although she increasingly struggles with the details of her life, his relentless commitment to her translates into the one thing that she remembers most easily. (“That’s my boyfriend,” she says repeatedly, “he’s always hanging around.”) His love for her becomes redemptive, providing her the stability that she so badly needs. (Of course, therein also lies the problem, as he also believes he is the only one capable of caring for her properly.)

More than this though, by juxtaposing Bridget’s emotional journey up against Burt and Ruth’s relationship, the film also demonstrates the power of different worldviews. Struggling through a disappointing marriage and tension with her daughter, Bridget’s view of love has been tainted, leaving her dissatisfied with life. In this way, we recognize her admiration for her parents’ marriage, which is based on ‘commitment’. The story of Burt and Ruth is one of traditional values, steeped in the beliefs of their time. Their love is the one Bridget aspires to have. However, the film is not content to simply hold Burt and Ruth’s marriage as the ‘standard’ either, questioning the relevancy of Burt’s views in today’s culture. It’s a beautiful tension that serves as a reminder that love continues to remain complicated. Although relationships look different between generations, there is much for us to learn from the values of those who have come before.

At its core, What They Had speaks to more than one family’s struggle to decide on their parents’ ability to live on their own. It’s a film about what it means to truly love someone else, through every stage of life. Featuring powerful performances by its cast, it’s a reminder of the conflict between love’s ‘butterflies’ and long-term commitment, even when your partner struggles to remember you.

What They Had is in theatres on October 26th, 2018

What They Had – Family Struggle of Dementia

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Dementia can be a nightmare for families. It’s not just watching a loved one becoming lost as their memory deteriorates. It requires making hard choices that can put family members at odds with each other. What They Had is a look inside a family that is struggling to deal with a wife and mother as she slips deeper and deeper into dementia.

After her mother Ruth (Blythe Danner) wanders away on Christmas Eve, Bridget (Hilary Swank) gets a call from her brother Nick (Michael Shannon) to come home to Chicago to help deal with the problem. Nick, who still lives near his parents has seen Ruth’s ongoing decline. He has been involved in her care. Nick is adamant that the time has come for Ruth to be moved into “memory care”. Her husband Bert (Robert Forster) wants nothing to do with moving her from their home. He will take care of her, he says.

Michael Shannon stars as “Nick”, Taissa Farmiga as “Emma”, Hilary Swank as “Bridget” and Robert Forster as “Bert” in Elizabeth Chomko’s WHAT THEY HAD, a Bleecker Street release. Credit: Bleecker Street

When Bridget arrives, she becomes the referee between father and son. She tries to find middle ground, but it may not be possible. Nick has everything planned, but it is Bridget who holds power of attorney. As the family struggles over how to deal with Ruth, other side issues naturally arise to both illuminate and complicate things: the hostility in Nick and Bert’s difficult relationship, Bridget’s loneliness within her marriage, and Bridget’s lack of understanding her own daughter Emma (Taissa Farmiga).

But this is also a story of a family in which love is real. Even though Bert spends a great deal of time trying to tell his children that there are no bells and whistles in love, he and Ruth clearly had a relationship that was held together by a deep, romantic relationship. And that relationship is central to understanding why Bert is so adamant about keeping Ruth with him. Even in the midst of fighting, the family maintains its bonds between each other. Bridget and Nick have their own sibling resentments, but still we know they want the best for each other and for the family as a whole.

Blythe Danner (left) stars as “Ruth” and Robert Forster (right) stars as “Bert” in Elizabeth Chomko’s WHAT THEY HAD, a Bleecker Street release.

I found this to be the most accurate portrayal of dementia and its attendant issues of any I’ve seen on film. (At least, it very accurately mirrored my experience with my mother sliding into dementia.) Writer/director Elizabeth Chomko based the story on her grandmother’s descent into Alzheimer’s disease. It is at times filled with pathos, and at other times quite humorous, just as is the case with watching someone you love who has dementia.

And while our family did not have as dramatic confrontations as this family, we did have differences of opinion about what would be right at any particular time. It is the family struggle that is the real focus of What They Had, rather than dementia itself. In this too Chomko brings an eye and ear for reality. She also uses the other difficulties in her character’s lives to bring out the emotional and sometimes spiritual struggle the family undergoes. An example is a set of scenes with mother and daughter in bed together, one with Ruth and Bridget and one with Bridget and Emma. Without words, these two shots give us a visual reference to what is going on in Bridget’s life.

Blythe Danner and Hilary Swank star as Ruth and Bridget Keller in WHAT THEY HAD, a Bleecker Street release. Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street

What They Had offers us a chance to see that love and pain often travel together. This family suffers as Ruth loses her memories. But they are also bound by a love that continues through the pain and even the anger it dredges up. This is often the reality not only in dealing with dementia, but also with the many other trials that life brings our way.

 

TIFF ’18: What They Had

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“What do you mean she’s gone?”

In What They Had, Nick (Michael Shannon) opens with the phone call that every adult dreads: that their mother (Blythe Danner), Ruth’s dementia has caused her to wander into the night. As a result, Nick calls his sister, Bridget (Hilary Swank) and asks her to come home in an effort to convince their father Burt (Robert Forster) to begin the process of moving them into a proper senior’s facility. Struggling to hold on to his way of life, Burt is resistant, arguing that he is the best care for his wife in her time of need. As a result, Nick and Bridget must struggle to decide what’s best for their parents in their advanced age.

Using Bridget as the film’s emotional balance, the film accurately portrays the heartbreak and struggle that comes with having to care for one’s parents. In fact, one of the best aspects of the film is the manner in which it both affirms and challenges the voice of the elderly within the film. In doing so, the film manages to both honour the power of Burt and Ruth’s story while, at the same time, affirming Nick’s claim that they are unable to continue as they have.

The core of the film lies its exploration into the power of love, especially within the context of Burt and Ruth’s relationship. Although she increasingly struggles with the details of her life, his relentless commitment to her translates into the one thing that she remembers most easily. His love for her becomes redemptive, providing her the stability that she so badly needs. (Of course, therein also lies the problem, as he also believes he is the only one capable of caring for her properly.)

What They Had speaks to more than one family’s struggle to decide on their parents’ ability to live on their own. It’s a film about what it means to truly love someone else, through every stage of life. Featuring powerful performances by its cast, it’s a reminder of the conflict between love’s ‘butterflies’ and long-term commitment, even when your partner struggles to remember you.

What They Had is currently playing at TIFF ’18