ALL OF US STRANGERS (2023)

December 20, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. So many people allow unresolved issues from their past to weigh down or complicate their efforts to live for today. Writer-director Andrew Haigh has loosely adapted the 1987 novel “Strangers” by Taichi Yamada most notably by a shifting of locale and gender. It features the powerful literary trio of loss, loneliness, and love, none of which come easy for Adam, played beautifully here by Andrew Scott.

Adam is a reserved London-based writer in his 40’s who recognizes that he has failed to fully repress one particular fact of his childhood. Since his parents died in a car crash thirty years ago when he was twelve, he never had the opportunity to come out to them as gay. Now, he is often burdened by being the kid/grown-up whose parents never go to know the real Adam.

An unusual meet-cute in the mostly vacant apartment tower they both reside in, has neighbor Harry (a terrific Paul Mescal) knocking on Adam’s door carrying a bottle of spirits. Adam turns him away, but there’s clearly an attraction. The progression after this night leads Adam down a tricky road. His writing forces him to face the lingering complexity with his parents, and this occurs in a few excellent sequences with Adam re-visiting his childhood home (actually director Haigh’s childhood home) and finding his parents (Jamie Bell and Claire Foy) living there, unaged since he last saw them. Adam comes out separately to each, resulting in quite different reactions. Mom’s words, “It’s a sad life, isn’t it?” cut like a knife while also emphasizing the social changes over the past 30 years. After claiming he would have been one of those schoolyard bullies, dad confesses he’s sorry for not coming to Adam’s room when he was crying.

These interactions with the past allow Adam to begin to move forward, and that includes Harry, who has his own issues with the past. Together, the two are natural, and their debate of queer versus gay is beautifully executed. We understand how Adam dealing with his grief and guilt opens him up to a hopeful future of love, as leaving the past behind delivers the courage necessary to open up. Taichi Yamada recently passed away (November 2023), and it’s likely he would have approved of Haigh’s film. Andrew Haigh is proving to be quite an artist with this latest on the heels of his LEAN ON PETE (2017), 45 YEARS (2015), and a couple episodes of “The OA”. This film is somber and slow moving, but the direction is excellent and the two leads Scott and Mescal (rumored to be the next James Bond) make this work.

Opening in theaters on December 22, 2023

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

LEAN ON PETE (2018)

April 12, 2018

 Greetings again from the darkness. Andrew Haigh’s follow-up to his gut-wrenching 45 YEARS (2015) is “a boy and a horse” movie that is every bit as emotionally draining, and secures his spot as one of the best filmmakers at bringing characters we thoroughly believe to the screen. It’s based on the novel by Willy Vlautin and could be described as coming-of-age, slice-of-life, or even a road movie. While it’s each of these, it is also much more … though I fear it is one of this year’s indie gems that will likely slide between the cracks with far too few taking the time to experience it.

Charlie Plummer was most recently seen in ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD as Getty’s kidnapped grandson. Here he stars as Charley, a 15 year old boy living a half-step from poverty with his caring, but unprepared single dad (Travis Fimmel). Charley goes for morning runs around town, and his polite mannerisms include effusive praising and expressing gratitude to his dad’s mistress (Amy Seimitz) for cooking a full breakfast – a rare treat for this growing teenager. Charley stumbles into part time work with has-been horse trainer Del (Steve Buscemi), a man whose career, health and demeanor have all seen better days. Horse trainer in this context is far removed from the glamour of the Kentucky Derby. Del works his horses hard for meager winnings on the county fair circuit, and when their time is up, the horses are shipped to Mexico for ‘processing’.

Charley and Del form a bond based on Del’s cheapness and Charley’s work ethic and love of the horses. When tragedy strikes, the movie shifts to a road trip vibe, with Bonnie (Chloe Sevigny) joining on as a jockey. The three are a quasi-family but mostly they are each just trying to get along in a life that isn’t always kind. When Charley ignores Bonnie’s advice to not get too attached to the horses, he and the titular Pete are soon trudging across the backcountry.

Charley’s life on the streets provides many life lessons, but not much joy. He crosses paths with an initially friendly addict named Silver (Steve Zahn), and along the trip, his childhood memories provide some hope – especially as related to Aunt Margy (Alison Elliott). These all feel like real folks that we could meet at any time. Some are helpful, yet the biggest life lesson of all comes roaring through these mostly quiet scenes – people care most about themselves.

This most certainly isn’t a Disney-style horse movie like DREAMER, and in fact, it’s much less a horse story than it is Charley’s story. The core message seems to be that no matter how gentle one’s soul, human nature adapts in times of desperation. It’s pure cinematic pleasure to have both Mr. Buscemi and Ms. Sevigny in the same film, but the shining light here is Charlie Plummer. With little dialogue, he conveys so much about what he is thinking and feeling. His desire is to have some stability – someone or something that he can depend on. It’s the security many of us take for granted. Cinematographer Magnus Nordenhof Jonck (A WAR, 2015) beautifully captures the endless Pacific Northwest landscapes, while also managing the intimate and thoughtful moments. Mr. Haigh’s two most recent films add him to my must-see list … I just wish there were more who would find pleasure in his displays of lack of joy.

watch the trailer:

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Posted by David Ferguson

45 YEARS (2015)

December 22, 2015

45 years Greetings again from the darkness. Relationships are messy and complicated. Even the best ones. Even those that last 45 years. Writer/director Andrew Haigh (Weekend, 2011) understands this and delivers a film not about older people, but instead about the secrets, the doubts and the regrets experienced by anyone and everyone who is part of a committed relationship. His message is delivered through the extraordinary performances of Tom Courteney and especially Charlotte Rampling.

Just four days prior to a planned party to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary, the stillness and quiet of Geoff’s and Kate’s long-established familiarity is disrupted by the startling news that his girlfriend of 50 years ago has been discovered preserved in a Swiss glacier.  What could have been a simple blip on the radar turns out to be a slow revelation of true emotions that have clouded this marriage. Kate’s realization that her seemingly fine life is now undeniably tainted is gut-wrenching to behold.

Ms. Rampling’s performance is subtle and brilliant. The camera captures the whirlwind of emotions through her facial expressions and telling body language. She carries herself with grace and dignity, even as she emotes devastation. A scruffy Mr. Courteney seems oblivious to how deeply his reaction has wounded his wife, even as he dives more and more into the past … a journal, a slideshow, smoking cigarettes, a trip to the travel agency.

Haigh’s script and direction are such that the intimacy and personal pain is evident even in scenes that feature only one of the two leads. The lack of raised voices or outbursts belies the pain felt by both Geoff and Kate, and the pain is never more evident than when we finally reach the anniversary party. As Geoff delivers a rambling speech about the ups and downs of marriage, the camera equally captures the face of Kate as she expertly dons the façade required in public for those who are lost emotionally. The couple then dances to The Platters’ “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” and Kate’s faces hides little of her internal turmoil. Haigh ends with one of the most soul-crushing final shots one could ever expect to see. It’s the perfect ending to a dose of reality most of us hope to never experience.

watch the trailer:

 

 

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Posted by David Ferguson