THE DESIGNATED MOURNER
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1997 Ben Hoffman
To say that this film is not for everyone is an understatement. If you enjoyed MY DINNER WITH ANDRE, there is a good chance you may very well like THE DESIGNATED MOURNER in which the main character, Jack (Mike Nichols in an exceptional acting perfortmance in his first film), almost immediately says "Christ, you know, I remember so clearly the moment . . . when was that? . . . years ago . . . when someone was saying, 'If God didn't like assholes, he wouldn't have made so many of them.'"
In 1996, the play on which the film is based, was first performed at London's National Theater. The play (and film) were written by Wallace Shawn. There is a total of three characters; they speak directly to the audience except with very rare exceptions when they address each other.
Jack is the main character. There is his wife, Judy (a radiant Miranda Richardson) and her father, Howard (David de Keyser). These three, in a sort of disjointed "stream of consciousness" tell us what they are thinking about themselves and each other. There is no indication of what prompts each new declaration, an unburdening of one's life.
Jack's first words are: The designated mourner. I am the designated mourner. I have to tell you that a very special little world has died, and I am the designated mourner. Oh, yes, you see, it's an important custom in many groups and tribes. Someone is assigned to grieve, to wail and light the public ritual fire. Someone is assigned when there is no one else.
This pretty much sets the tone of the film.
Jack complains about his father-in-law, a liberal, a literery snob and poet. Jack further complains that he (and others) have to pretend they like poetry; that is one of the things that distinguishes the so- called highbrow from the lowbrow. Who is going to admit that he really enjoys lowbrow entertainment?
Judy complains of Jack:, "The one thing he never would say . . . the word he couldn't stand: love. I love you."
Howard did not like son-in-law Jack. "Sometimes Howard would pick on me to play the role of idiot---well, I guess he ALWAYS did--ha ha ha-- and that was really quite fun in a way. " "And after the knife had gone in, he would just continue."
Jack was always wondering what we were waiting for. "The appearance of the Messiah? Was all this nothing?" What is life? His greatest pleasure was "the sweet, ever-changing caress of an early evening."
Looking for something different? Try THE DESIGNATED MOURNER.
Directed by David Hare
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Ben Hoffman
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