A housewife keeps her family from sinking into bankruptcy by winning ad-writing contests.The main plot line of this film, a productive and almost optimistic response to fifties patriarchal oppression, becomes obvious early on. But Evelyn Ryan's bright-eyed responses to her husband's insecure harangues make it hard to
sympathize with her. How long can we scream, "Leave the bastard" at the screen until we give up on her plight? But just when it gets to be oppressive, she says, "Your job is not to make me happy, but to stay away from me when I am." Could there be a more heart-breaking thing for a wife to say to her husband? Julianne Moore's performance was, of course, awful, and she shares the blame with the script for making Evelyn a tiring character. Woody Harrelson doesn't rise to the level of being a malevolent force, but his character has nuances, moments of compassion mixed with his fits of outrage.Overall, I thought there was some things to like about The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio - it's an interesting story that has flashes of brillance - but Moore's performance and some structural problems make it ultimately a disappointment.
October 14, 2011
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