SUNDAY (director: Jonathan Nossiter; cast: David Suchet (Oliver/Matthew Delacorta), Lisa Harrow (Madeleine Vesey), Jared Harris (Ray), Larry Pine (Ben Vesey), 1997)
One blistery cold winter morning in Queens, New York, a middle-aged man, Oliver (David), dressed in a rumpled brown suit, who was cut by IBM as they downsized, leaves a homeless shelter to spend the day walking around that part of town, knowing that he has to return before 7 p.m. or he gets locked out of the shelter. Suddenly, a woman, probably in her early fifties, Madeleine (Lisa), with a British accent, shouts out at him, as he is staring at her, "Aren't you Matthew Delacorta, the director? I tried out for a part in your film in London." Oliver goes along with the mistaken identity and goes with this has-been actress, who can't get respectable parts in films anymore because of her age, to a Greek diner. They spend the day together, becoming lovers out of a sheer desire to overcome their loneliness and the dissatisfaction and fear that life has brought them. This is a one-day fling, where after the deception becomes unravelled by Madeleine and her anger subsides, they, at least, find one day of gentleness with each other, before their life goes on, to who knows what.
This could have been a great picture, it had everything in place to be great, such as a great idea for a story, two of the finest acting performances you can ever want, and a very movingly compassionate story line that is without any need for contrivances, that could touch the heart of a mature audience.
So what went wrong and what went right with the film ?
What is right about this film, is that the story of the lovers, if we can really call them that, is meaningful, therefore it stays with you, its power goes beyond the time you spend watching it unfold on screen. I thought about them for days afterwards, wondering how easy it is to lose track of things and find out that all your desires and dreams fell through and that you are left in a hopeless state, unable to relate to anyone what is wrong with you. And getting older in a society that is youth oriented, finding yourself tossed aside as unwanted scrap heap, is a very difficult psychological thing for one to reconcile; and obviously, some do it better than others. Oliver had no outside support, which might be the reason he hit the bottom financially, winding up in a spot he will have a great deal of trouble adjusting to, as he tries to find himself, hoping for a way out... And Madeleine, is also stuck, separated from a husband (Larry Pine) she does not love, who is always snooping around, trying to win her back with his obsessively manic behavior, leaving a bad taste in her mouth. Her self-esteem is at a very low level when we see her: As she can't find a way to support her need to be truly wanted, to find love and happiness, and to ply her trade as an actress with viable parts. The problem of getting older and not being appealing anymore gnaws at her, as she blames everything around her for her troubles, hating being stuck in a God forsaken place like Queens, living in this culturally desolate vacuum, where she can't escape from, not satisfied that she lives with her sweet adopted Korean daughter in a private house and seems to be materially provided for. This part of the film is very emotionally moving and well-presented.
What starts to go wrong with the film, is that the direction of the film tries to do too many things, and even though, those things it attempts might work on their own terms, they don't fit into the theme of this film, thereby ruining its rhythm. For instance, it offers us a vibrant look at a homeless shelter, those who are in it, their routines, their psychological make-up, and it even brings one of the homeless men to life, Ray (Jared), giving his character a certain appeal that an entire film could be based on, but to make the homelessness subplot so much a part to this film, does not do justice to the more essential story line. Its pace of story is different than David's odyssey, and therefore fills the screen with too many useless images that do not enhance this beautifully shot short film with the impact it needs.
The main focus of the film should have been on Oliver and Madeleine's relationship, at all times, this would have added more insight into the reasons for their demise, and give us more of a hint of how they will act as the picture concludes. It would have served the film better if it didn't become so arty and give us so many unimportant shots of lobsters and Queens. This is a very human and emotional story, a story that is very well conceived, and almost completely overshadowed by the director's bad instincts that almost surplant so much of the good unstincts he incorporated in the film. But, surprisingly enough, even if the film had an air of phoniness about it, the two character's exquisite performance cannot be denied. Their relationship was genuine despite the circumstances of their differing situations.
Ultimately, what the film offers, is contrasting perceptions of what is real and what is illusionary, as it bolsters the sense of what ills misfortune can bring to one's perception of oneself. But, ah ! If only... what a film this could have been.
REVIEWED ON 3/12/99 GRADE: B-
Dennis Schwartz: "Movie Reviews"
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