Ordinary People - released in 1980
A couple of weeks ago Ordinary People was on TV. I was reluctant to watch it because I remember this film so fondly but I'm glad I did. I was in high school when it came out and I honestly fell completely in love with the tortured Timothy Hutton. I'm such a sucker for a sad boy. This was his first film and he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor that year. It was Robert Redford's directorial debut and it won Best Picture. Pretty heady stuff for both of their debuts.
The film is about a well-to-do family that goes through a terrible tragedy - the death of a son. Mary Tyler Moore - in a role that completely blows her nicey-nice stereotype out of the water - plays the mom and Donald Sutherland plays the dad. Both of them are terrific. Timothy Hutton is the remaining son. He's just returned from a stay in the hospital because he tried to kill himself and they are all trying to get back to normal with varying degrees of horrible results. Conrad (Timothy) is having a really hard time fitting back in at school (a very young Adam Baldwin (Jayne on Firefly!!!!) is one of his dickwad classmates) and would actually rather be in the hospital. MTM is trying desperately to shove everything under the rug and Donald Sutherland is attempting to hold the family together. Conrad finally goes to see a shrink. It's interesting because it's clearly taboo to be seeking psychiatric help in the upper class suburbs of Chicago in the 80's. Now it's a badge of honor. Anyway, the psychiatrist is played by Judd Hirsch. I love Judd Hirsch. He was great in this film, very underplayed actually. He gained fame on TV with Taxi and now he's on TV all the time playing every Jewish old man possible. Seriously, he's in multiple shows playing someone's grumpy dad or grandpa (or even a son in Forever!). There is another actor who plays the flashback version of him all the time. I'm pretty sure this wasn't the guy's idea of success when he got into showbiz, being typecast at the young version of Judd Hirsch. This dude needs a break, I think.
This film is almost like a foreign film. It builds very slowly and deliberately. There is no real ka-bang in this film but but it's fascinating to watch this family quietly implode. Robert Redford was really masterful in his directing. He's taken a white bread community and scraped away to show the ugly underbelly but in a sort of white bread way. And Timothy Hutton's meltdown scene is so so good. I cried the first time and I cried again this time.
Now I will admit, there are times I miss the 80's. But I bet Timothy Hutton REALLY misses the 80's because he completely shot his acting wad on this film. I don't think he's ever hit these heights since and, quite honestly, I don't think he's aging all that well (have you SEEN Leverage?). Sorry Tim.
(I'd pair a nice, buttery glass of Chardonnay with this film. Nothing too showy, you know.)
Good Will Hunting - released in 1997
I thought this was a good complement to Ordinary People because they are essentially the same film. It's another film of a young man coming to terms with how fucked up he is. The difference is that Good Will Hunting is messy. Ordinary People is orderly. If the cities in these films were characters, that's how it would play out. Lake Forest, IL. Orderly. Boston, MA. Messy.
This film is about a South Boston boy who is a genius but had such a fucked up childhood (foster homes, abuse) that he doesn't really want to excel. His friends are a group of Southies that are completely working class, obnoxious guys who would give Will the shirt off their backs. I love these guys. I'm not a fan of Ben Affleck (he just seems like such a dope), but I'll give it to him in this film. He's constantly wearing "nice" sweatpant outfits and has this super douchey haircut. He's perfect. More perfect, however, is Casey Affleck (his younger brother in real life). He's the wiry, sarcastic pain in the ass friend that calls everyone out on their shit (the guys are giving him shit because he wants to go to a particular takeout place 15 minutes away. He says "What the fuck are we gonna do that we can't spare 15 minutes?" He wasn't wrong.). Apparently many of his lines were improvised. See, already smarter than Ben.
The shrink in this film is the late Robin Williams. He's amazing in this film. I realized watching this that I will never watch another Robin Williams film in the same way again (even Mrs. Doubtfire.). There is a deep, deep sadness that I originally put toward good acting. Now I gotta wonder. There are dark places reflected in his eyes...it's kind of eerie. And absolutely heartbreaking.
I have a secret (not so secret anymore) love for Matt Damon. This script was his project when he was going to Harvard (Ben helped with fleshing it out as a full script, apparently...I doubt very much that Ben was at Harvard, though. Or did much of the fleshing out. See how I feel about him?). This is a really good script. Sure, it's melodramatic and a bit monologue-y, but every time I watch it, I buy into it completely. There are two scenes between Matt Damon and Robin Williams - the first meeting and then the subsequent session - that are really good. They both tear each other down for their own reasons. They perfectly exemplify each character - Damon's wanting to get the upper hand and Williams' giving room to build Damon back up if he wants it. Truly lovely. And speaking of improv, Robin Williams (not surprisingly) did a fair amount himself. There is a scene where Matt Damon is laughing at something Williams is telling him and it had all been improv (different every take) so it was a genuine, can't-catch-your-breath laugh. Matt Damon built some really interesting characters in this script. Williams' character is so sympathetic and caring which is a great contrast with both Damon and Stellan Skarsgard's characters (Skarsgard plays the mathematician who discovers Damon's math skills), which are all about self preservation.
One more thing about Stellan Skarsgard. He is a great actor and has been in a ton of movies. But what do I think about now whenever I see him? Alexander, his son. Eric Northman of True Blood....grrrrowwwllll!! Stellan is younger in this film (and not covered in prosthetic makeup like in Pirates of the Caribbean - Hello Bootstrap Bill!) and for the first time I saw the resemblance. He was definitely more...doughy...than Alexander is, but I see it in the face. Sorry Stellan. Your son's gorgeous body (that he shows A LOT and a lot OF) has now upstaged you. Apparently they are all in a film together (Stellan, Alexander and Alexander's body), called Melancholia. Anyone seen it?
(My drink suggestion for this film is a pint of Sam Adams. Wicked good.)
My takeaways:
#1 - I fucking love Boston for so many reasons but it's the accent that gets me every time.
#2 - If you need to see a shrink, be sure he was the star of a hit 80's TV show. They cut right thru the bullshit and cure you.
#3 - Tortured blond boys tear at my heart strings.
#4 - I'm pretty much an asshole about Ben Affleck (but really, Jennifer Garner...what do you see in him??).
xoxo...hashtagSueslife
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