Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. Always interesting when old talkbackers show up after a long absence. Especially when they’re drawn back because they’ve got something to share. After seeing Amber Tamblyn in NORMAL ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR, I'm curious about this one:
Hello AICN, Old-timers may remember the DMFC. I was a firebrand in my youth, a leader of men. I raised discussions on here that few have forgotten (Lord of the Rings = Racist?). But that was years ago. I'm an old man now, working a depressing 9-5 job in Flagstaff, Arizona. One of the few joys in my life is going out to LA to hang out with my film critic friend. During awards season, he takes me to all of the screenings. It's a little ray cappo of sunshine in a life that is more and more resembling a late 1970s era Bruce Springsteen song. Before I begin to tell you about STEPHANIE DALEY - the best film of 2007, the remnants of my once proud ego would like to clear something up once and for all... ...You know that phrase "George Lucas Raped My Childhood"? I invented that. Now, I don't expect many of you to believe me. And, due to AICN's curious banning policy of the late 90s, all the evidence has been deleted. But yes. That was me. And why do I point this out? Because that phrase was always intended as a parody of fanboy hyperbole. It has pained me to see the phrase itself parodied over the years - as if it was a genuine sentiment. I've never been much of a fanboy. I take my action figures out of the packages and I lost my virginity at the tender age of Not Yet. So look...it was a joke to begin with, and it was my joke. Please put (copyright DMFC) after all future usages of said phrase. Now that that's out of the way, allow me to tell you a bit about Stephanie Daley. When the film began, I thought I was in trouble. It starts with a long helicopter shot of a ski lift and then picks up with a girl in ski gear stumbling through the snow, trailing blood. The camera work here was the sort of herky jerky hey this is an indie film stuff I hate, and I thought I was going to hate the movie. Boy George was I wrong. The girl in the ski gear is the "Ski Mom" Stephanie Daley (Amber Tamblyn), a 16 year old girl who gives birth to a baby during a school ski trip and throws the baby in the bathroom waste basket. Daley claims that she never knew she was pregnant and that the baby was stillborn. Evidence suggests otherwise. Is she lying? A pregnant forensic psychiatrist (Tilda Swinton) is assigned to assess Daley's ability to stand trial. During their sessions, Swinton's character strives to figure out the truth while managing her own personal trials, including what seems to be a failing marriage with an architect (Timothy Hutton) and a recent stillbirth. I'm trying to keep this plot summary as simple as possible because this film is about a lot more than the central mystery of the film. As my friend said on the way out of the theater - there's so much thematic complexity in this film. It's about a great many things, the secrets we keep from our lovers, ourselves, the fear of being responsible for someone else's lives and happiness, gender issues and roles, the burden of the past. It's a mystery to me why this film wasn't released for academy award consideration. The screening we saw was set up by IFC (I think...) for the Independent Spirit Awards. There's absolutely no way that Tilda Swinton would not be nominated for best actress. She gives the best performance of her career. One of her scenes with Hutton, in which they argue about the loss of their previous child, is so raw that I had to look away. The other performances are amazing as well. Tamblyn so completely inhabits her character that I'm afraid some might overlook how amazing the performance is. I never for a second saw anyone besides a confused, shy 16 year old. It's the kind of person all of us knew in high school - if only in passing, in the hallway. The scene in which she gives birth, seen mostly through the cracks of a bathroom stall (see also, Half Nelson) will never leave you. I hate this adjective in film criticism, but whateva - it is a fucking daring performance. Rounding out the cast, Timothy Hutton reminds you once again that he's a great actor. Denis O'Hare, who I just realized I've seen on Broadway, plays a friend of Hutton and Swinton's. O'Hare had a few scenes in Half-Nelson as wise-cracking teacher in the breakroom. I think he's a brilliant and shamefully underused actor. But, all of this being said, the real star of this movie is director Hilary Brougher. The film unfolds so naturally, weaving in flashbacks with an elegance that films almost never manage. The dialogue, the performances, the settings - everything about this film just feels so...real. The style is mostly handheld without being annoying and many of the shots achieve a sort of quiet beauty. It takes real bravery to make a film like this, and hopefully Brougher will get the recognition she deserves. I probably sound hyperbolic and plant-like, but I assure you – this film is that good. It's a shame that it seems to have lingered around for a while without a set release date, and I worry how many of you will actually make the attempt to see it. If you want to cleanse your palette after endless remakes and comic book movies and see some real art, you can't do much better than Stephanie Daley. Special Note: Any of you who grew up in upstate NY will be impressed with how well they capture it. I remain, DMFC - DanMaunzFanClub
