First fiction feature from (previously) documentary filmmaker
Kent Jones
Mary Kay Place is great here in the lead- best known to me
previously as the mumbling secretary in Being
John Malkovich
Estelle Parsons is also great in a few scenes at age 91 (best
known for Bonnie and Clyde– her Oscar
win for supporting)- my first archiveable film for her in 48 years—haha- 1970’s
I Never Sang For My Father (ok I guess
she’s in 1990’s Dick Tracy for a
second)
There is a strong formal tie here- between each scene (Place oscillates
between talking to friend, checking on drug-addict son, visiting cousin in
hospital and volunteering) they show her driving in the grim winter weather
(North East)—but sadly this form drops off
The slow-motion used to show the son on drugs— is also used on
her later in a dream- another sign of less than perfect form
Again, I love the weaving of friend, cousin, son, volunteer and
the way it’s weaved together- she show her making to-do lists—it’s realism, a
meditation on death, guilt, duty and aging as people pass
Jones has a way of writing- not quite the Coen but the
characters all speak the same- I like it- like 7 people say “God Damn” which
isn’t realism
Goes into voice-over at the very end sloppily
Justin Chang writes about “formal ruptures” here and that’s a
slippery slope- it’s a strong film but for now it’s just a recommend
Leave A Comment