"Fallen Leaves" -- Movie Review

 

At the close of the first weekend of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the Finnish romantic comedy “Fallen Leaves”, directed by  Aki Kaurismäki.  

Synopsis

When two lonely people fail to connect due to a variety of circumstances, can they overcome each other’s shortcomings to finally become a couple?

Story

Helsinki residents Ansa (Alma Pöysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen) have some things in common.  First of all, neither one of them is on the road to becoming a millionaire – she is a grocery story clerk and he is a laborer.  Holappa’s avocation is as a chain-smoker and an alcoholic.  Another thing they have in common is they are both single, have an attraction to each other and neither one can hold a job.  Ansa is fired from the grocery store when it’s discovered she took some expired food from the shelf; Holappa is let go from his job when it has been found out that he’s been drinking on the job. 

The two meet by accident one night at a local karaoke bar shortly after losing their respective job.  When Ansa finds employment at a pub where Holappa occasionally visits, she soon finds herself out of work when the place is shuttered by the police, who arrest the owner for drug trafficking.  Running into Holappa just as the cops arrive, he offers to take her out after getting a new job at a construction site.  They take in a movie that night, after which Ansa gives him her number in anticipation of another date – which never comes because the hapless Holappa somehow manages to lose the slip of paper on which it was written.

By happenstance, they run into each other again outside the same movie theater; she invites him to dinner at her place – but this time, when she gives him her address, Holappa makes sure to secure it so it won’t get lost this time.  Unfortunately, the dinner is not successful – they manage to get into a bit of a skirmish that night and he leaves.  Losing his construction job due to his drinking, Holappa winds up at a flophouse where he decides to quit alcohol; after calling Ansa to apologize and confess his sobriety, she once again invites him over – but when he fails to show up due to unforeseen circumstances, will they be able to overcome their various obstacles or remain forever alone?

Review

If it is possible to describe a romantic comedy as dysfunctional, then that perhaps is the best adjective to use to explain “Fallen Leaves” – but please don’t take that as a negative reaction.  Instead, it is appropriate to both the situation and the characters involved.  In spite of the flaws of the two people at the center of the story, you inevitably find yourself rooting for them to get together at the end, no matter the obstacles each other – and fate – put in their way.  Just as it is coincidence that keeps them apart, it is also coincidence that reunites them.  Of course, there's also Chaplin, who many believe steals the whole show.

Just about everything in “Fallen Leaves” is near perfect – the performances, the story, the production design, the soundtrack, you name it, it’s spot-on.  It’s easy to see why this film has been so openly embraced by many who’ve seen it because it really hits deep down to the human condition and the sense of loneliness and isolation some feel (in this case, due to socioeconomic conditions).  The lesson from the movie seems to be, “If you’re looking for a soul mate, be willing to overlook the flaws in others so that they are empowered to overlook your own flaws”.  If true, this may be a very valuable insight considering modern times.

Although this film was originally screened in October during the Film Festival, another viewing was recently attended because of its official release and the availability of its stars for a post-screening interview.  Alma Pöysti said that she was invited to lunch by director Aki Kaurismäki, who offered her the role; Jussi Vatanen was also invited to that same lunch where he was offered his role, too.  He said that at that time, Kaurismäki only had a vague idea of what the story would be and they did not get an actual script until about a year later.  The director told them both that there would not be any rehearsal, which proved to be something of a challenge for the two actors. 

"Janet Planet" -- Movie Review

 

At the close of the middle weekend of the 61^st New York Film Festival, I attended a screening of the new comedy-drama by playwright and first-time director Annie Baker, “Janet Planet”. 

Synopsis

A single mother and her daughter spend their summer together as various people drift in and out of their life in rapid succession. 

Story

It’s the early 1990’s in Western Massachusetts – a rural part of the state where Lacy lives with her acupuncturist mother Janet.  That summer, Lacy is anxiously awaiting a return to school where she’ll soon be entering the 6th grade.  Lacy is a pensive, introspective type and is trying to figure out the world and exactly what part she may play in the grand scheme of things.  She doesn’t have very many friends yet eagerly tries to connect with not only her mother but also Janet’s friends, too.  This does not always go as well as anyone would have liked; as much as they befriend Janet, Lacy is more of a challenge.

To the best of her ability, Janet tries to maintain some semblance of a social life, associating with various people in the community.  Sometimes, this requires Lacy to be left home alone; other times, when she feels comfortable doing so, Janet brings home her friends and introduces them to Lacy.  Some men appear to want to have merely a platonic relationship with Janet – others just bail out when they see how difficult Lacy is to deal with.  At this rate, Janet’s chances of pairing up again with someone seems to be a major challenge – and Lacy isn’t at all helping.  Only Janet can put up with Lacy’s odd behavior – but then again, because she’s the girl’s mother, she doesn’t have much of a choice. 

Some of Janet’s acquaintances are a little down on their luck and ask her if they can either rent a room from her (or merely stay for free, out of their friendship).  Janet gladly offers some small space for them, but once they find living with Lacy gets on their nerves, they realize that they can’t stay there indefinitely, otherwise they’ll be driven slowly mad.  Eventually, as the summer winds down, Lacy and Janet find themselves alone, although Janet tries to include her daughter in more social events so she’ll feel less uncomfortable around others.  Ultimately, will Janet remain alone or find more permanent relationships?

Review

Annie Baker is a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright; she has said that in the past, she had written screenplays just so she could get health insurance.  “Janet Planet” is not her first screenplay, but it is her first time as a director.  Despite her prior experience having written screenplays, the script for this film very much has the look and feel of a stage play; although she opens it up considerably by having scenes in various locations, much of the story appears as though it could have been told entirely in Janet’s home.  One gets the sense in watching the movie that she did, in fact, initially conceive of it as a stage play, but then adapted it to a screenplay at some point. 

Among the problems with “Janet Planet” is the fact that each one of the individuals that enter and disappear from Janet and Lacy’s life aren’t particularly sympathetic – in fact, they can come across as downright obnoxious.  If these are friends of Janet, then this might call her judgement into question – not to mention that she must be desperate for companionship.  None of them seem to be particularly likeable and you tend to wonder why she would have them in her life.  Once they exit Janet and Lacy’s life, you tend to breathe a sigh of relief – until you realize that someone equally as objectionable is about to arrive. 

As far as the performances are concerned, they are quite good; Zoe Ziegler is particularly believable as the precocious pre-adolescent who is still caught up in the midst of trying to figure out life.  Julianne Nicholson, who plays her mother Janet, fits perfectly into the role.  That said, one wishes while viewing the film that the characters could have been more sympathetic so that an audience could be more invested in the outcome.  Speaking of the ending, “Janet Planet” is one of those movies that doesn’t really end – it just stops.  Arbitrarily so, as if the screenwriter just ran out of gas somewhere along the way.  Nothing gets resolved or wrapped up, so it’s somewhat disappointing in that regard.

"Rustin" -- Movie Review

 

Recently at Film at Lincoln Center, I attended an advance screening of the new historical drama, “Rustin”, starring Colman Domingo in the title role. 

Synopsis

The personal and professional struggles of civil rights activist/organizer Bayard Rustin as he attempts to plan the historic March On Washington.

Story

Being an African-American has never been easy – and when you’re both a civil rights activist and a homosexual, it further complicates matters.  This was the life that was led by Bayard Rustin; during the 1950’s and 1960’s, he was an active participant in the country’s civil rights movement, organizing rallies and peaceful protest marches (at least, the protesters were the peaceful ones).  Yet he was ostracized by politicians and organizations such as the NAACP during this period for multiple reasons:  for one thing, he was believed to have been associated with the communist party earlier in his life (which he denied) and was accused of being a homosexual (which he did not deny). 

In the 1950’s, after working closely with Dr. Martin Luther King, he and Rustin had a falling-out.  This was due to Rustin’s reputation becoming too much of a distraction that Rustin, despite his skills, was more of a disadvantage to the cause.  With Rustin taking a backseat to King, Rustin resigned from the NAACP and didn’t speak with King for years because King did not stand up for him.  Embroiling matters was the fact that Rustin had a relationship with a much younger White man; the relationship effectively ended when the young man discovered that Rustin was cheating on him with a married Black preacher.

After years of not working with King, Rustin is forced to restore their collaboration when he is tasked with organizing The March On Washington – an historic peaceful protest that advocated equality for Black Americans.  While the NAACP wasn’t crazy about welcoming Rustin back into their group, they did realize that he had the skills and contacts that could make such an event work.  Not only were they planning on bringing thousands of attendees, Rustin was thinking big – hundreds of thousands.  He even wound up getting weaponless Black New York City police officers to help serve as security.  But would King and Rustin be able to resume their successful professional relationship as a result of this event?

Review

While “Rustin” attempts to tell the story of a forgotten hero of the civil rights movement, it is deeply flawed in many respects.  Informative, educational movies on this same topic may be found – especially in documentaries – but unfortunately, this is not one of them.  In explaining this stance, let’s start with the screenplay.  It does not deal well when it comes to exposition; when trying to get across some facts or background information, the viewers may understandably feel as though they are beaten over the head with a truncheon not unlike the way in which the peaceful protesters were illegitimately and unnecessarily assaulted by the police. 

Star Colman Domingo was gifted a role that many professional critics genuinely believe will inevitably be nominated for one or more awards; his performance, however, comes across as a bit overwrought.  After a while, Domingo’s interpretation of Rustin becomes a bit exhausting to watch. Rustin’s enthusiasm, energy and dedication may be considered admirable, but the manner in which it is exhibited, if accurate, is quite draining because it’s over-the-top all of the time.  One almost wonders how much of it was truly intended to be motivational as opposed to being merely performative.   

Finally, the film’s soundtrack contains a great selection of music from that era.  There’s nothing wrong with that except for the fact that it’s overused, to the point where it becomes something of a distraction; once you become aware of it, it immediately takes you out of the scene (if not the entire movie altogether).  Its implementation is not exactly subtle; it should enhance the scenes in which it is used and instead, it detracts from the experience because it seems as though it is applied in almost every scene.  If you have to constantly rely on the music from the soundtrack in order to evoke a certain emotion or mood, that suggests a bigger problem with the motion picture.