Bad Hurt

There's a moment in the movie, without spoiling anything, where the father, played by Michael Harney, slams his thumb with a hammer. The reaction on his face is genuine. I could feel the pressure on my own thumb nail. A small detail that reverberates power throughout this film. This film is power. And it's old school power. The work the actors are doing is reminiscent of Schatzberg's films of the early mid 70's, where actors were allowed and given the time to explore their characters through raw behavior. Thanks to a wonderful and patient writer/director, Mark Kemble, the work is allowed to resonate. The small details in life are often missed for a more surfaced cinematic punch. The spectacle of explosion, or tears, or rage. "We meed to see that you're upset in order to make this moment happen!" Unfortunately, this is the case for most movies made in 2019. Kemble allows his material to breathe. Like a river, he guides his actors down their own intimate journey. Instead of identifying a moment and mathematically pining it down, he takes the uncomfortable route and lays it out raw. And in doing so, his actors find the darker parts of themselves through a very personal script. This film of course is not for everyone. It has a melancholy tone with sometimes slow pacing. But if recognized, the honesty that lays underneath the gentle score parallels a depth seen in playwrights such as Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams.

This is a good film. The performances are excellent. For Theo Rossi fans he has a major part and his work is just fine, touching, and realistic. I was happy to watch him for extended scenes because I use to savor some of his brief scenes on Sons of Anarchy. Not sure how much the audience will cross over from SOA to this. But I enjoyed both. Karen Allen shows the grief and love of this mother who has an indefatigable spirit to help her daughter. An amazing portrayal of a developmentally disabled woman by Iris Gilad. She is a young stage actress making her film debut. We will see a lot more of her. The father played by the silver haired Michael Harney is every bit the crusty, irish alcoholic drowning his sorrows at the neighborhood bar without being a cliché. The handsome Johnny Wentworth is the oldest son - a disgraced veteran with PTSD and a nasty drug habit. Calvin Dutton is a newcomer and he knocks it out of the park playing the suitor of Deedee. He is great. So, it is sad. This story is major sadness - such as you experience with Eugene O'Neil or Tennessee Williams. After you experience what you THINK is the climax there is still 30 mins left.....room for even sadness. Don't watch the movie if you are sad, as I did. The film is understated, realistic, and depressive however I promise you will end with a smile. There is hope for these people.