Outside Providence (1999) Shawn Hatosy, Alec Baldwin, Amy Smart, George Wendt, Jon Abrahams, Tommy Bone, Jonathan Brandis, Jack Ferver, Adam Lavorgna, Jesse Leach, Gabriel Mann, Kristen Shorten, Alex Toma, Timothy Crowe. Screenplay by Peter Farrelly, Michael Corrente, and Bobby Farrelly, based on the novel by Peter Farrelly. Directed by Michael Corrente 105 minutes Rated R, 4 stars (out of five stars)
Review by Ed Johnson-Ott, NUVO Newsweekly www.nuvo-online.com Archive reviews at http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Edward+Johnson-ott To receive reviews by e-mail at no charge, send subscription requests to pbbp24a@prodigy.com
Traditionally, the last two weeks of August and first two weeks of September spell nothing but bad news for filmgoers. The studios view the period as a cinematic Bermuda Triangle, a place to dump those movies too flimsy to compete in the crowded summer marketplace and too weak to have a prayer in the autumn Oscar marathon. For critics, reviewing these flicks is a daunting experience because, after three months of writing about dreck like "Wild Wild West" and "Inspector Gadget," most of us have run out of insults. So when a nice little offering like "Outside Providence" comes along, I feel particularly grateful.
While the TV ads trumpet the film as a "non-stop laugh-fest from the creators of 'Dumb and Dumber,' 'Kingpin' and 'There's Something About Mary,'" "Outside Providence" actually contains as much drama as comedy. The Farrelly brothers brand of humor is present, but the jokes are incorporated into a surprisingly effective coming-of-age story.
Set in the blue-collar town of Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1974, the movie follows young Timothy Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy), an aimless high school stoner living with his wheelchair-bound kid brother (Tommy Bone) and surly father (Alec Baldwin). When not lingering at the grave of his mother or enduring the insults of his dad (whose nickname for his son is "Dildo"), Tim spends his time smoking dope with his friends, until one fateful night when he has a run-in with the law. Literally.
The kid is spared a jail sentence when Pop pulls some strings and packs the boy off to spend his senior year two and a half hours away at the Cornwall Prep School. Initially, Tim seems hopelessly lost in this cultured environment, but he soon finds that the alien setting offers many new possibilities, including the prospect of romance.
Plotwise, there's nothing in "Outside Providence" we haven't encountered countless times before, but the screenplay navigates adroitly through the various clichéd situations. In fact, many of the film's rewards come from what doesn't happen. A frail kid confronts a bully and, instead of a fight or chase scene, they quietly make peace with each other. A student feuds with an authority figure and, instead of building to some outlandish public confrontation, their relationship ends on a realistic note. A man faces an angry reaction from his buddies when he reveals that he's gay and, instead of a melodramatic make-up scene, we simply see the guys playing cards together again later, having come to terms with his revelation off-screen.
More than anything else, "Outside Providence" is about growth and reconciliation, and the film feels far more touching and real than what one would expect for a work associated with the Farrelly brothers.
A great part of the authenticity comes from director Michael Corrente ("Federal Hill," "American Buffalo"), who picked up Peter Farrelly's gritty 1988 comic novel for a buck in a used bookstore. Corrente found the book hilarious and saw in it the potential for something more than a standard teen comedy. He inserted his own dramatic sensibilities into the story, along with several images from his childhood, including a tender scene of Old Man Dunphy teaching Tim how to fasten his tie. Corrente also took a treasured memory of his parents playfully shooting Christmas tree bulbs with a "Rifleman" gun and reworked it into a poignant flashback sequence.
Too often, actors playing working-class folks come off like they're slumming, but not here. Shawn Hatosy, the fresh-faced kid with the crooked teeth from "In and Out" and "The Faculty," hits just the right notes as Tim Dunphy. From his early scenes as a clueless druggie to the latter portion of the film, when he begins the rough journey towards manhood, Hatosy subtly works expression and inflection to make his character ring true.
Alec Baldwin gives one of the best performances of his career as Old Man Dunphy, an emotionally stunted man who buries his pain beneath a stream of "good-natured" wisecracks. Baldwin expertly shades his portrayal of the damaged father, using his eyes to show the love for his sons that lies beneath Dunphy's crude and rude exterior.
The supporting players are also good, with the exception of Tim Crowe, who overacts as dorm-master Mr. Funderburk, making him nasty almost to the point of being cartoonish.
Stylistically, Corrente proves adept at mixing the Farrelly-style comic bits with the dramatic text. He also nicely contrasts the Pawtucket and Cornwall settings, using a grainier film stock for the hometown scenes. Although the film is packed with '70s hits, Corrente wisely keeps the era in the background, maintaining an appropriate perspective on the retro- kitsch.
The Farrelly brother's name could hurt "Outside Providence" more than it helps it. Those expecting a barrage of "There's Something About Mary" style gross-out gags may feel let down, while those who would appreciate the bittersweet coming-of-age story may very well avoid the film because of the Farrelly trademark. Hopefully, in the sea of early September mediocrity, this funny, sad, sweet little film will find the audience it deserves.
© 1999 Ed Johnson-Ott
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