As parents we often find ourselves having to make difficult decisions hopefully the right ones to benefit our families. For most parents these decisions involve things like curfew, allowance and maybe which extracurricular activities our children can go after. Sometimes these decisions are of a far more important scope. The film ‘Walker Payne’ deals with a decision that shakes a family to its core. A father is backed into a corner and must use his faithful pet dog in a dog fighting ring to make enough money to keep his children. Some may think that a decision between your own children and an animal might be difficult but ultimately not much of a choice most likely never included a pet as part of their family. Sure, this is not like another film, ‘Sophie’s Choice’ where a mother had to give one of her two children to be killed by the Nazis but this choice is none the less over wrought with emotional conflict. This is a dark often melodramatic film that is at times extremely difficult to watch. At times it tries too hard to tug at the heart strings of the audience knowing that children and an animal is the best way to illicit an emotional response from the viewers. If you are able to take some of the more graphic scenes here this is a drama that will certainly move you. It has some remarkable performances that make the film worth it. It is now available on DVD through Image Entertainment.

What is truly surprising for this film is the team that provided the script. The authors were Alex Paraskevas and Matt Williams. This is a first outing for Paraskevas and credit must be giving to him for taking on such a rough subject for his initial screenplay. The real surprising turn here is his partner. Williams who also directed the film had a background that would never indicate a project like this. He was a writer for television sit-coms like ‘The Cosby Show’, ‘Rosanne’ and ‘Home Improvement’. You would never think of Dr. Huxtable entering a dog fight to keep Theo. With a background in popular sit-coms a film like this seems out of his league but somehow the pair manages to pull it off better that you might think. They do pull out all the stops to get the audience as involved in the plight of the titular character as possible. At least the pair didn’t set the film in the Great Depression, which would have been just too hard to take. They did choose a location that was awfully close though, a 1957 quarry. Basically the story revolves around Walker Payne, magnificently played by Jason Patric. He works in the quarry as do most men in the town that is until he is laid off. His ex wife, Lou Ann (Drea de Matteo) has custody of their children and will not let Walker see them unless he can come up with the back child support. As is often the case in such situations she becomes the evil parent in the eyes of the two little girls. Lou Ann shows her true colors when she offers to sell the kids to Walker for the low, low price of $5,000. For an out of work quarry worker in the late fifties this is an astronomical figure. He tries selling everything he owns which does yield a lot. Walker is turned down for a loan from the bank as well as his friends. The bank is not a complete lose though he does meet a young woman who is new in town, Audrey (KaDee Strickland). Just when all seems hopeless a stranger comes into town; Syrus (Sam Shepard). He notices Walker’s pet dog, a pit bull. At first he wants to buy the dog from Walker but he can’t bring himself to part with the family pet. Syrus then introduces Walker to a means to make some fast cash, dog fighting. Walker is facing a moral dilemma but is overwhelmed by his need to get the children back. The dog wins a few bouts but just before the big championship battle is badly injured. His involvement with dog fighting does not sit well with Audrey. She was just in a very abusive relationship where her ex used to beat her on a regular basis. She can not love a man who is cruel to an animal that is so devoted to him. The final bout shows the people in attendance as well to do and dressed as if they were going to a theater. The law looks the other way since so many of the elite of the town are into the activity.

The only previous feature length film for director Matt Williams was ‘Where the Heart Is’ a story about a pregnant 17 year old girl. He does do well moving up to such a potentially depressing subject matter. There is something about showing any form of animal abuse that gives a lot of studio executives a bad feeling. In the commentary track of the popular television series ‘Heroes’ on of the cast members recalls something that demonstrates this point. There is a little Pomeranian who is a regular on the series. One scene called for someone to kick the dog across the floor. The standards and practices department told the writers that this is not allows. They did, however, allow a scene where a 16 year old girl was splayed open on a morgue table her chest completely open. It is okay to carve up a teenage girl but you can’t kick the Pomeranian. Many will have a similar reaction to this film. It is okay that the children are basically being bought and sold but the dog fight is over the line. Williams does demonstrate a level of compassion and sensitivity to this feeling while directing this film. The post fight scene where the dog is torn apart and injured underscores the emotional turmoil that Walker is going through. His children are most important to him but he can’t stand to see what he is doing to his animal friend. The cinematography of the movie is excellent. The bleak view of the men coming out of working in the quarry, their faces streaked with dirt cuts to the economic plight everyone in town is experiencing. Walker is shown as an imperfect man. He contributed to the break up of his marriage and now has to live with the repercussions. His ex wife as played by de Matteo is admittedly a bit over the top making her more of a villain than necessary.

As mentioned this is a difficult film to watch but it is well done as a drama. Image Entertainment does provide little films that most have never heard of and this is a prime example.