|
|
|
|
Welcome to the Rileys
After a string of really awful horror flick to review I tend to become disheartened about the state a film, an entertainment medium I have loved most of my life. just when things begin to look the bleakest I find an independent film in my inbox that might not be the greatest film of all time but as long as it provides a genuine concern with quality and telling a story in the best fashion possible it can quickly restore my faith in the noble art of cinema. The thing that matters with independent film tends to be diametrically opposite to the factors that drive many main stream movies. They aren’t made to showcase the latest marvels of special effects build its appeal on the shoulders of one super star performer. What motivates these film makers is self expression; telling humanity based story in the best possible fashion. Frequently the tactics crosses over to experimental methods but this the area in movie making where such novel techniques are afforded the opportunity to advance the art form. The most recent film I came across that had such a reviving effect on me was a little movie called ‘Welcome to the Rileys’. On the surface it may seem to be another dysfunctional family drama and that description is valid. What this movie manages to bring to the table is the ability to present these issues in a sensitive manner without crossing the line into the melodramatic. This movie admittedly contains flaws; it is not a slickly produced movie that flows along without a hitch. It has to be kept in mind that a nature such as that; polished and refined in technique would be entirely out of place in the presentation of these characters in the situations depicted in this story. These are flawed, emotionally damaged people adrift in a world full of situations and events they can barely cope with. A film like this demonstrates the power inherent in a well thought out and presented performance by a very gifted cast. The primary plot point used here is the dysfunctional family but the author of the screenplay, Ken Hixon. He differentiates himself by thoughtfully probing the underlying causes of the familiar tension and conflict. He has some background in this with his script for ‘Inventing the Abbots’. At the heart of the problems is Doug Riley (James Gandolfini) a middle aged man going through a form of mid life crisis that is pulling him away from his wife, Lois (Melissa Leo). It isn’t all on Doug though; Lois has been distancing herself as a result of crushing guilt over the death of their daughter. Initially Doug responds in the most predicable way possible, he enters into an affair with another woman, Vivian (Eisa Davis) who works at a dinner Doug frequents. Lois almost completely isolates herself to the point that the only outside contact is her visiting hair dresser. The only other person with any contact with Lois is her concerned sister, Harriet (Ally Sheedy). The emotional tone is nicely established by director Jake Scott, son of Ridley Scott and nephew of Tony. Most of his previous experience has been with music videos but I suppose the family traits won out in this case since Scott has managed to avoid the usual pitfalls of such a career pathway. He shows the audience the emotional distance between Lois and Doug quietly with a subtle flow that surrounds you. Doug sits in the dark, smoking a cigarette. Lois comes in to complain. Their marriage has lost all passion so that even an argument proceeds in hushed tones. This was a short scene but an emotionally effective and efficient one. In a few short minutes the audience gained an understanding of the ruination of a once happy couple. The real story gets going when Doug takes a business trip to New Orleans. Lonely and despondent he wanders into a sleazy strip club. Through well framed shots Scott lets the audience know that he is there not for the usual reasons but just for the darkness; a place to loose himself. A stripper, Mallory (Kristen Stewart) offers him a private dance but Doug refuses until he spots some co-workers. Not wanting to be seen he goes upstairs with the girl. He refuses her offer of oral sex but pays her anyway. They meet up again at a nearby diner and he drives her home spending the night but not in bed with her. Doug calls Lois telling her he’s staying there and offers Mallory $100 a day to stay there with the provision of no sex. The heart of this drama is the effect these two extremely damaged people have upon each other. Mallory is about the same age as Doug’s daughter when she died. The best thing about this script is the respect shown to the audience; we know that Mallory is a daughter surrogate so there is nothing to be gained by overtly pounding the fact in. again there is a quiet power to the way the story unfolds; little things like Mallory taking Doug’s arm only to have him remove it. Doug sets out to clean up the dump Mallory lives in, painting it, repairing her toilet and buying her a proper bed. She rebels at first but slowly, the little girl inside emerges needing parental guidance. Doug brings Mallory to a level of self respect while she fills the emptiness left by his daughter’s death. In lesser hands this would have been nothing more than a Lifetime flick in less talented hands but here it is something special. Gandolfini is one of the best actors of his generation. He can convey more
emotional content with a look than most actors can with a well written piece of
dialogue. He is a talented professional who has mastered the nuances of his
craft. As cold and mean as he was in ‘The Sopranos’ his portrayal of Doug
depicts a volcano of emotions churning beneath the surface. There is a direction
to his role here bring the audience along as he explores the full extent of his
character. You might recognize Leo from the early seasons of ‘Homicide: Life on
the Streets’. She also demonstrates incredible range as such a self-isolated,
broken human being. The performance by Stewart; I was pleasantly surprised at
the texture inherent in her work here. In the Twilight movies her performances
as Bella were flat, unresponsive. This lack of affect has been overcome here as
Stewart shows an ability to take a basically unlikable character and breathe
life into her. She could have just handed in a hackney ‘hooker with a heart of
gold’ but instead Stewart has a transition from tough underage stripper to a
lost little girl alone in a rough world. this is a reason to love Posted 02/02/11 |
|
