2010.08.26
DC summers are some of the hottest and humid. DC is afterall considered a swamp due to its elevation relative to sea level. One would know this if you have ever had the pleasure of the unique experience of cycling uphill, both into MD and VA. Anyway, if you are staying in DC for the summer, one of the refuges that many people take to escape from melting onto the sidewalk are movie theaters. Yes, Summer movies range from the big blockbusters where action and FX are a quick and easy way to lose yourself in the cool dark abyss of a pitch black theater.
However, along the way there are some diamonds in the rough- mostly international arthouse films that make their appearance in the summer movie scene. Recently I saw The Kids are Alright in which Annette Benning and Julian Moore are two parents trying to raise teenage kids in this twist on a modern family dramedy. Mark Ruffalo makes an appearance as the drama that enters the seemingly happy family. Except that this is a family from the 21st Century. One where the notion of “traditional” is all but turned upside down. First, Benning and Moore are both moms to Joni and Lazer, both are called ‘mom’ even though Joni is Bennings daughter and Lazer is Moore’s son- biologically. I noticed this subtle difference, that both children saw each parental unit as equally fitting of mom status regardless of being birthed from separate women. Ruffalo comes as the ‘interloper’ who gave the moms the oppurtunity to create a family among two women with his genetic material. What I liked about the movie was the fact that nothing was explained; it just was. There were no overt garish soapbox speeches about gay marriage. Prop 8 was never once mentioned. Because this is the next step in the equal rights movement, when it ceases to become a hot topic and chic tirade and becomes the norm. Why shouldn’t it be normal for two women to be able to create a family? What we see in the movie is that family; be it man and woman, man and man or woman and woman all have their quirks and cracks. This movie said yes, this family has some problems, but they are problems that at the root are the same as those of the family next door between a man and a woman. Marriage is rough, no matter who are or who you choose your partner in life to be; we are all merely human trying to find ourselves and hope that everything will be alright in the end.
Secondly, the children themselves are triyng to find out who they are. Biologically they know that both their moms can not have had them without the help from a third party. Questions of self identity and finding themselves take them on a search for the donor who happens to be Mark Ruffalo. But Ruffalo’s role does not take on the parental tone, but more like a big brother, collegiate role. He bucks all the rules that have been established, but he never imposes any of his own, nor does he offer any advice on parenting. In this way he becomes the stone that finally cracks the marriage between Benning and Moore. Exposing all of their insecurities and faults- that everyone in the audience can relate to.
The second film of note this summer is I Am Love, an Italian film that stars the incredible Tilda Swinton. The story is set in Italy (duh), where the audience gets a glimpse of what old European wealth looks like in the flesh. The cinematography is just like a continuous, moving, flowing photo spread from Vogue or Elle. The Estate in Milan has the heaviness of tradition imprinted upon every piece of furniture and decor. The actors are merely accents themselves, shifting between rooms with ease and grace in perfectly fitted Italain wool suits and sheath dresses. Now, I don’t want to make it seem like the film is all about fashion and desgin. There is a great level of detail and attention taken on this aspect, however I think it enhances the film. I Am Love is much like the great European films with little dialogue. Looks become glances, murmurs become the acceptable decibel at which to speak, and the equity of movement make a lean towards someone like a giant ripple. So in the absence of dialogue, the score takes precendence; and a good score will subtly dictate the rythm of the film without the audience noticing until after the lights come up and you are left wondering what just happened.
I Am Love is in one word; sublime.
