writ & dir. Thomas McCarthy feat. Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Jekesai Gurira, Hiam Abbass
After finding The Station Agent to be a thoughtful indie film with a different set of offbeat characters that develop relationships in sincere, believable ways, I was excited to see the second film directed by McCarthy. Sure, the trailer smacked of an issue film and worse, the burden of the suffering of young immigrants on the back of the old white man, but I had hopes that the writer who pulled off Agent could repeat. Sadly, hopes are easily dashed. Richard Jenkins does an excellent job, convincing in both his inert way of life and in his reawakening, a beating heart pumping again as he learns to play the drum and watch young folks struggling to make it in New York City. Unfortunately, by making this his story, while the supporting characters endure the real suffering, cheapens the tale. Sleiman's character is barely a sketch, with only three expressions - giddy, high musician, confused prisoner, and angry prisoner. Gurira is worse, distrusting of all white men (or possibly all men) with no obvious mind of her own until Sleiman's mother arrives. I'd like to think McCarthy began this film with good intentions, possibly trying to show how immigration law can affect even those with the right of citizenship. However, the tale would be better told through the eyes of those actuall suffering. Using Jenkins as the center allows the film to chicken out, never showing the real horrors of the detention center, or ever truly feeling the edgy feeling of not being at home, ever at risk to be deported. Yes, life is rough for Jenkins. He loses his new friend. But honestly, how much is his life changed really. He can sink right back into his rut or find a new poor immigrant to sublet his apartment.
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