Reel Time: Episode 17 (the films of Claire Denis)

We're finally back, and we've decided to change the theme of the show. From here on out, we'll be dedicating each episode to a specific director and reviewing a couple of their films. We will not be neglecting wide releases, but only reviewing the ones we deem significant. We started off by focusing on French filmmaker Claire Denis, and two of her latest works, 35 Shots of Rum and White Material. Joined by Tom Stoup and Deepayan Sengupta. Here's a stand alone link.

Road to Nowhere

"Road to Nowhere"
Directed by: Monte Hellman
Starring: Shannon Sossamon, Tygh Runyan, Cliff De Young, Waylon Payne, Dominique Swain
121 minutes
2010/USA

Monte Hellman's Road to Nowhere is the director's first film in 21 years. The design of this film is convoluted to the point of no return. The actual story and layout is simple on the surface, but once the layers start unraveling, the viewer will find themselves sucked into the film's dizzying vortex. Such a film welcomes audience participation in getting in on the mystery, much like a great noir would do. This film operates on similar rules to an extent, but will alienate those looking for clean cut answers.

The film centers on an odd real life story involving an insurance fraud/murder/suicide that took place in North Carolina. The actors are based on the perpetrators/deceased: Velma Duran and Rafe Tachen. Young director Mitchell Haven is attempting to bring this story to screen by shooting in the small town where the events took place, Haven's film is also titled Road to Nowhere. We're then introduced into the film within a film concept, where fact and fiction effortlessly blend into one another, resulting in one intoxicating narrative.

Actress Shannon Sossamon delivers the best performance of her career as Laurel, a stunning young "non-actress," who fits effortlessly in the role of Velma. Sossamon's natural beauty goes unmatched, as she exudes the persona of a classic femme fatale. Oddly enough, Laurel's uncanny resemblance to Velma Duran is what gets her the role. During the filming of Haven's Road to Nowhere, Haven and Laurel begin falling for each other, much to the dismay of the rest of the crew, most notably Bruno, an insurance fraud agent who believes Laurel isn't who she says she is. There is also Cliff De Young playing Cary Stewart, a veteran actor hired to play Rafe Tachen in Haven's film. Stewart's involvement further complicates matters as we occasionally see him making phone calls from overseas, are these scenes apart of Haven's film, or are they something entirely different? Is the real Velma Duran actually dead?

The timeline of the film is severely fractured, prompting speculation on the actual identities of the characters and their true motives. For all of the head scratching and the squinting of the eyes that took place while I watched the film, it's oddly exciting to see what will occur next. The transition from scene to scene plays out gloriously, as the script has no shortage of cryptic offerings and gestures. It's all an act, a show, a tragic play.

Steven Gaydos' script is effortlessly nuanced. If we play close attention, we can mildly guess at which scenes are being played out in real life and which scenes are apart of Haven's film. Hellman's motives, however dense they are, are routinely hidden from us. Hellman is obviously implicating that there's a strong correlation between art and life, performer and performance. The film goes for broke at times in trying to cover the vast territory of this oddly constructed world that Hellman has created. There is however, no shortage of mood throughout, the film within a film concept has been done to death, but Hellman's approach comes off as fresh and original. If you find that you're not getting much out of the film, just recognize that it's all about the journey and not the destination.

Grade: 4/5

5 best films seen in July

Films seen: 26

Three Times (Hou, 2005)

Straw Dogs (Peckinpah, 1971)

Husbands and Wives (Allen, 1992)

Naked (Leigh, 1993)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Yates, 2011)

Hesher

"Hesher"
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Devin Brochu, Rainn Wilson, Piper Laurie
Directed by: Spencer Susser
106 minutes
2010/USA

Joseph Gordon-Levitt goes full grunge as the titular character in Hesher, playing a chain-smoking pyromaniac  with no past and no apparent future. He's a cartoon character, or some product of MTV who happens to step in on the life of young T.J and his family during the grieving process for T.J's mother. Hesher serves as the not so subtle, harshly designed "role model" for young T.J. (Brochu) in the film. Gordon-Levitt has had a string of recent success, but plays completely against type here. It's mostly a one note performance, but Gordon-Levitt has this unpredictable sensibility that keeps his character interesting, even when the film isn't.

The film itself is kind of a mess, but oddly intriguing throughout. Written and directed by Spencer Susser, Hesher represents nothing less than an indie Sundance product, an "in your face" film that wears its heart way too heavily on its sleeve. I lost track of how many times a car windshield or house window was broken, I've already designed a drinking game around this repeated action. While Hesher's motivations aren't outright stated, we pick up on the fact that he's teaching T.J. how to survive and deal with struggle months after his mother's death. He eventually moves in, which is not even frowned upon by T.J's dad played by Rainn Wilson, and his grandmother played by Piper Laurie. For once, Wilson is given a role that is void of any comedic sensibility, playing a straight-faced father with no real idea of what his son is up to. His arc, while not supremely essential, is just as predictable as we'd expect, thus summing up the film's myriad of problems. Natalie Portman also shows up as a geeky grocery clerk, while still stunning, Portman's relationship with T.J. is one of the best aspects of the film. The film's best asset is indeed the young Devin Brouchu, mostly directed to deliver the same reactionary response, but is resilient throughout while being put through the emotional and physical wringer.

While it takes place in Los Angeles, the world of Hesher is just as ridiculous as it looks. We learn through exposition that Hesher was once in juvenile prison, but we're fascinated to hear that he hasn't had any other run ins with the law. Gordon-Levitt's "out of nowhere" antihero lacks any subtlety or insight that would otherwise make the viewer care about the film's central relationship. Most of the film revolves around the same recycled scenes, as Susser's attempts at emotional catharsis are mostly drowned out due to overkill. Even the climax is awkwardly staged, but appropriately fits in with the film's outrageous tone. It's a minor and slightly forgettable work, but there's something admirable about Susser's willingness to go full circle with an idea like this, not completely original, but oddly liberating.

Grade: 3/5

Reel Time: Episode 15

My fellow pod-casters saved my ass this week by viewing Crazy, Stupid, Love and Cowboys & Aliens, I hadn't seen either. Joined by Andrew Cate, Derin Spector, Tom Stoup, and Deepayan Sengupta. Non-iTunes link here, enjoy!