A less than auspicious homecoming for an introspective artist sets the stage for this low-key comedy drama directed by Steve Buscemi. Jim (Casey Affleck) is a chronically glum aspiring novelist who, after a failed two-year sojourn in New York City, has returned home to his parents' home in Goshen, IN. Jim's folks, Don (Seymour Cassel) and Sally (Mary Kay Place), run a ladder factory, a family business Jim wants nothing to do with. His older brother, Tim (Kevin Corrigan), is also living at home,
and has problems of his own after his marriage ended in divorce and his business went broke. When Tim makes the latest of a number of suicide attempts by driving into a tree, Jim is reintroduced to Anika (Liv Tyler), a nurse who had a one-night fling with Jim a while ago. Jim and Anika strike up a conversation and start seeing one another again, though she seems to have feelings for Tim as well. With Tim in the hospital, Jim is persuaded against his better judgment to take on some of his brother's responsibilities, including doing some work at the ladder factory. At work, he bonds with his uncle Stacy (Mark Boone Jr.), who prefers to use the nickname "Evil" and deals drugs on the job. Jim's attempts to help Uncle Stacy with his side business backfire and implicate his parents, with Sally ending up in jail. But between his budding relationship with Anika and coaching a kids' basketball team that includes Tim's daughters, Jim begins to cautiously consider the notion that life might be worth all the trouble. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Though this clash of picket-fenced, down-home values and big city oafishness was handled with a little more delicacy in 2005's superb 'Junebug', Buscemi's film has lots to say about this fruitful dynamic.
A depressing illustration of how even Middle America has ended up marginalized and rudderless in the wake of outsourcing, downsizing and globalization.
As the credits started to roll, I came to a pleasant and all-too-rare moviegoing realization: The smile that had crept across my face during the very first scene had never left.
If this film were hooked up to a heart monitor, it would register as a straight line. The most energetic and emotive blips occur when Boone, Jr. and Place are onscreen.
I had low expectations on this one, so I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. Similar in tone to Buffalo 66, this deals with people who don't quite fit in, and while the plot is small, it has a lasting impact. Liked it a lot.
Casey Affleck, Liv Tyler, Mary Kay Place, Jake La Botz, Kevin Corrigan
DIRECTED BY: Steve Buscemi
Jim begrudgingly returns to his hometown in rural Indiana after failing to make it on his own in New York. He soon remembers why he left: a doting but overbearing mother, a distant father, and a depressed older brother
whose "accidents" seem suspect at best. Jim is soon forced to take on his brother's duties -- working at his parent's factory and helping out with his two rambunctious nieces. Crippled by obligations and anxieties, Jim trudges on though every day monotones and the family's collapse after mom is mistakenly taken for a suburban drug smuggler. Almost miraculously, hope springs from his developing relationship with a local nurse and her young son, and Jim slowly learns to move forward without leaving anyone behind.
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This movie tells a real story of depression and the struggles it brings along with it. Casey Affleck's character Jim is a really sad character. You can just feel the weight of despair coming from him. Casey gives a great performance as Jim. Liv Tyler's character Anika was like Jim's happy pill. She is what he needs to bring him back alive out of his 'chronic despair'. It was a good movie. Not for most. But after seeing Casey in Gone Baby Gone, I wanted to see him in other roles and that's when I came across this one. I think he has amazing acting skills. Plus I LOVE indie films. They in my opinion, are the most interesting and honest movies made.
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