Mixed Bag

Rating: Null/10 (4 June 2001)

I suppose one laudable aspect of this movie is that most of my comments are content-related, not stylistic. Stylistically, this is an unimpeachable movie.
One thing that somewhat worries me is the way Lester's anger is managed in the movie. Of course, there is absolutely nothing which insists we see Lester's snippy, antagonistic attitude as part of his heroicism. But I'm concerned that the movie sells his failure to find a path that might include his wife (producing reconciliation) as part of his heroic charm. That his wife is so powerfully painted as emotionally self-checking, hence unapproachable, only suggests to me that she might be a bit too much of a straw dog. It would be a very rare, real, live person who would be such a cartoon caricature of lost-in-the-id middle-class power-mongering, don't you think? I think that, as people finely find their way out of the muck that can be their lives, they figure out how to bring their loved ones along with them. My own way of digesting this anger content is to see an intent to make Lester very human, therefore fully fallible. It's just that one usually sees this kind of behavior being lauded as a strong point of the hero (stark, confrontational, direct, "honest", etc., etc.). I'm not sure the direction willingly gives the viewer the option to see otherwise. I know it's just a movie, and I can see it's a borderline farce, with somewhat farcical characterizations. But it winds up wishing to comment on the big goal, the boodle, the dharma, the ball o' wax; and I'm not sure the movie succeeds in this, given what appears to be a lack of investment in emotional requisites, at least with respect to Lester.
What else? Lots of very glorious moments. Someone else mentioned the daughter's posing semi-nude in the window for her video-wielding boyfriend; I'll chime in on that one. Even though it sounds perverse and cheezy in reading, the film very effectively sets up that scene, so it works as a sweetly vulnerable and moving moment. The garage scene at the end with the Marine father--giving in momentarily to his primal need--just might be the most incredible piece of acting I've ever seen in my life.
In the end, I'll say that I liked the film, and didn't feel I wasted my time watching it, and I might recommend it to certain people, under certain circumstances. But I don't think it'll stand the test of time. And I certainly hope I'm wrong, since the creative people involved took a stab at delivering the Big Message, and one would like to think they hit their target. I hope it hits in a meaningful and even useful way for many.
P.S.: The pop music (not mood music) bits sometimes didn't work for me. For example, when the Lolita goes downstairs to console herself listening to the stereo, the filmmakers would have us believe she'd put on some contemporary singer/songwriting singing Neil Young's "Don't let it bring you down". I mean, like, give me a break....