UNHOOK THE STARS
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
"Right here in this life, you get reincarnated," says Mildred. "You change." Mildred is a middle-aged widow and mom whose children are grown. Although she is not yet a grandmother, she looks like one, albeit an extremely attractive one.
Mildred is played with earnest realism by Gena Rowlands. Rowlands rejects the typical sentimental characterization for roles of this type and instead imbues Mildred with a documentary style straightforwardness. Mildred plays the sort of tireless and loving mother that everybody wants.
Mildred is the center of director Nick Cassavetes's film UNHOOK THE STARS. Nick is the son of director John Cassavetes and actress Gina Rowlands. As much as I admired UNHOOK THE STARS, I kept thinking the film was John Cassavetes-lite. This is not meant as an insult. John's actors played characters with their emotions on the edge whereas Nick's characters have theirs more in check. Both, however, have characters that are so real you will swear they are not acting.
As the show opens, the last of Mildred's two kids is about to leave home. Mildred has been throwing the morning paper route for Ann Mary Margaret (Moira Kelly from CHANGING HABITS) because Annie has trouble getting up. When Annie tells her mom that she is an adult now, Mildred doesn't buy it. "You're not an adult," she says. "An adult is someone who works and takes care of themselves." Soon after this, Annie packs her bag and is almost never seen in the film again.
Across the street from Mildred is a young family she has never met. Marisa Tomei (MY COUSIN VINNY, UNTAMED HEART and ONLY YOU) plays the high-strung and irresponsible young mother named Monica. Tomei's performance is out of character for her, but excellent. The audience gets angry with Monica while being charmed by her at the same time.
Monica's son J.J. (Jake Lloyd from JINGLE ALL THE WAY) is about to turn seven. He is a serious kid who almost never speaks. Less believable is his behavior, which is perfect. Given his hard drinking mother and his equally irresponsible father, Frankie (David Thornton), I have trouble believing they could turn out such an angel.
One day Monica shows up at Mildred's doorstep to introduce herself. She then announces that she has to go to work, and since she has no one to take care of J.J., could Mildred keep him all day. Rather than viewing this as an imposition, Mildred looks upon this as a great opportunity. When Monica asks her to do this on a regular basis, Mildred agrees to do it for free. Mildred likes having someone to take care of again.
Perhaps the most touching scenes of the show are the ones of Mildred teaching J.J. by reading to him from the encyclopedia. She starts with the letter A and goes on from there. She recasts every entry in terms that J.J. can comprehend. One of the few failings of the script by Helen Caldwell and Nick Cassavetes is that they do not have a proper grasp of what is possible for a seven-year-old boy. I have one, and I know. Mildred's lessons are too often couched in language for a ten-year-old. Similarly, there is no way that anyone would let a seven-year-old leave by himself in the morning to go throw a paper route as Mildred and Monica let J.J. do. A ten-year-old could do this perhaps, but not a seven. Still these are the only two such problems with the story.
At Thanksgiving, Mildred's son Ethan (David Sherrill) comes home with his new wife. Mildred's explanation of the holiday to J.J. is dead-on. She says, "That's what Thanksgiving is all about -- meeting friends and eating a lot." Ethan's wife looks like a cross between a Radcliffe graduate and a fashion model. The stares between her and her polar opposite, Monica, are hilarious. Monica is always foul mouthed, which Mildred ignores. As they are enjoying Thanksgiving, Monica cusses out her would-be date on the telephone. Ethan's wife is scandalized.
One of the best subplots starts when Monica gets a baby sitter for J.J. so that she and Mildred can go to a bar together. There they meet Big Tommy (Gerard Depardieu) and a couple of other friends of Monica's. For the first time Mildred is able to indulge herself. She is used to devoting all of her energies to caring for others. At the bar, she is able to spend time in adult conversations for her own benefit. Although she dresses nicely and takes good care of herself physically, she has long since given up on a love life. She shocks herself by becoming attracted to Big Tommy. From the time they leave the bar, the scene is a beautiful blend of subtle and touching humor. As throughout the film, it all rings true.
A picture with few surprises manages to have some towards the end. Even so, it is more a character study and a (second) coming of age film than one with a strong narrative drive. Mildred has awakened and likes what she sees. Her second life may have even more promise than her first.
UNHOOK THE STARS runs 1:43. It is rated R for strong language. The film would be fine for any teenager. I recommend it to you and give it ***.
**** = A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = Totally and painfully unbearable picture.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: February 6, 1997
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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