DA
A film review by Jeff Meyer
Copyright 1988 Jeff Meyer
See at the Seattle Film Festival: DA (USA, 1988) Director: Matt Clark Screenwriter: Hugh Leonard, from his play Cast: Martin Sheen, Barnard Hughes, William Hickey
Martin Sheen's character is a popular New York playwright in the middle of preparations for an opening night performance. One morning, he receives a long-distance call from Ireland; his father, affectionately named "Da" by Sheen, has died. Sheen flies back to attend the wake and take care of arranging his father's business affairs. Then, in a rather matter-of-fact manner, Sheen begins to see his deceased rapscallion of a father (Hughes) wandering around the house. The rest of the film is taken up with conversations between Hughes and Sheen; sometimes there are flashbacks, sometimes Sheen appears (and converses) with his earlier self. It's basically a stage play adapted to film (very well, mind you) where two men become familiar with one another after many years, even though one of them is dead.
On a film like this, you have to grade on acting and script, because plot is really not there for the majority of DA -- it's just two men talking. And the script is good, though not particularly funny or touching. It's comfortable: you can watch it and have your attention held, but it leaves plenty of room on the back burner of the brain for other things. Hughes' acting is rather like that, too: comfortable. He's playing the old Irish rapscallion with just the right amount of blarney; he never really tries to be more than a codger. Sheen, on the other hand, has to attempt jumping from an adult to a sometimes-reminiscing child in an adult's body; he doesn't do very well with the latter. The really standout performance is William Hickey as a financier in the village who took young Sheen under his arm, and was a marked contrast from Sheen's anarchist father; Hickey also gets all the best lines (with his scratchy voice and shrunken face, he walks off with some wonderful bits during his short appearances).
But generally, you're left with Hughes and Sheen, and while that isn't objectionable, it isn't enough. Rating: Not bad, but I'd rather wait for it appear on TV, and even then I think I'd read a book instead.
Moriarty, aka Jeff Meyer
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