The Case for Beginning Again

For a bit of a change from Readings fare, it was time to head back to the Paramount cinema to see one of the films back from wherever films go between the International Film Festival and general release.  Even though there wasn't a large crowd, this screening was held in the main theatre, allowing me to appreciate how many interesting films I had seen in that room (including Clerks, The Room, some Incredibly Strange Festival films for years ago) and noticing the fading carpet, the battered walls, and that the only truly comfortable seats in the room are towards the front of the cinema. 

The film, Beginners, has a pretty extraordinary cast.  Ewan McGregor puts on his best American accent as Oliver (I am not sure if it is just that I know that he is not American that I find his accent irritating, or if it actually is pretty dire), from whose perspective this story of loves is told, and Christopher Plummer camps it up as his Dad, Hal, though he does not start singing any Sound of Music numbers unfortunately.  Meanwhile, the luminous Melanie Laurent takes time out from killing Hitler on Inglorious Basterds to turning in a sweet and quirky turn as Oliver's love interest, Anna, and there is a intensely barmy performance by the wonderful Mary Page Keller as Hal's unfulfilled wife, Georgia.  And, though I am more a cat person, I was almost willing to rush out and buy a dog like Arthur when the film came to an end.

This is not a loud film.  Oliver is coming to terms with the death of his father, and the way his father's relationship with his mother has affected his own relationships with others.  As such, there are a lot of internal monologues, flashbacks, drawings and walks in the park.  His introspection attracts Anna (perhaps an advertisement for being a bit morose at parties), and their budding relationship causes Oliver to address his relationship fears.

While that romance is the main part of the story, there are the odd segues into the past.  The history of the gay movement gets a bit of a (pardon the pun) outing, as Hal's lifestyle changes on the death of his wife, and in snippets we follow the final five years of his life before he too passes.  Further back in time, a very young, floppy haired Oliver shows the life of his mother, in a marriage not necessarily loveless but distant, the absence of the father both emotionally and physically in complete contrast to Hal's life once his wife has passed away, and perhaps leading to Oliver's current relationship phobias.

There are chuckles, there are tears, there are moments.  It's all based on the experiences of the writer/director Mike Mills and the story has the low key, unsensational feel of something fairly true to life.  It also feels quite small, almost every scene in a small(ish) room or house, giving also lending to that personal quality.  And I still had no idea how Oliver actually made money from his chosen profession and thus what he did to survive, but that is not important right now.  The more important thing is the Ewan McGregor has great hair.

Verdict:  Not really as deep or heavy hitting as it may sound on paper, Beginners covers a lot of ground in a light, home-y way.  Its about new beginnings at any stage of one's life, and about opening up to those opportunities.  And its about 7 Bansky-style graffiti drawings out of 10.

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