– By Mark Glass –
RATING: 2 out of 5 stars
(PG-13)
If the holidays start bumming you out over your family issues, this dour little drama might make you fell a little better… by comparison. Jake Gyllenhaal is the dad; a nice guy who never seems to find a job that feels right. The mom (Carey Mulligan) is starting to tire of her husband’s futile career chasing that takes them from town to town with nothing ever working out or lasting, and money always in short supply. We watch their marital bond being stretched to the max through the eyes of their teenaged son (Ed Oxenbould). He loves them both and, of course, lands in the middle of their growing distance.
The film is set in 1960s rural Montana, adding the sex roles and mores of the time and the limited employment options for women to the stress factors on our protagonists. The spousal connection really starts collapsing when Jake takes a firefighting job that separates him from the homestead for an extended time. Carey is worried about her husband’s safety, especially since he’s never done anything like battling forest fires before. She’s also overmatched by financial pressures and loneliness, leading her to some type of association with an older rich guy.
The story unfolds slowly and subtly under the guidance of actor Paul Dano, who co-wrote the screenplay. Dano is only a few years removed from being perfect for the son’s role, as he directs for the first time. One may wonder how much of himself he saw in Oxenbould while importing the Australian lad for the part. Unfortunately, the production is longer on mood and visuals than on character development or plot, leaving relatively little engagement with the principals despite solid performances from all three. Somehow, there’s just not enough there there, making Dano’s debut behind the cameras a more promising step than his first foray into screen writing.
© Mark Glass
