Joey Guerra
Entertainment Editor
You aren't in for laid-back, mindless popcorn fodder when you settle in for a screening of Henry Fool, a difficult, uncompromising, often affecting film from acclaimed and quirky filmmaker Hal Hartley.
Quite often, Henry Fool seems the virtual antithesis of popular filmmaking with its grimy characters, endless subplots and stubborn analysis of art, fame and commerce.
Hartley is precise in the direction he is going, and he isn't about to let anyone stand in his way - not even in-your-face indie queen Parker Posey, from whom he draws a raw, mature performance unlike anything else she has done on the big screen.
Despite all the angst and unflinching vision, which admittedly make Henry Fool somewhat of a chore to watch at times, Hartley has crafted a unique piece of work. This isn't indie filmmaking for prestige's sake. It's labeled so because Hartley's tendencies veer decidedly, and quite naturally, left of the mainstream.
The point of focus here is Simon Grim (James Urbaniak), a painfully shy garbage man who lives in suburban squalor with his mentally-worn mother (Maria Porter) and oversexed, unhappy sister Fay (Posey). Hartley creates a somber, sobering portrait of middle-class America within this dysfunctional triangle of tattered lives.
One day, virtually out of nowhere, in walks Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan), a gruff, rude, pseudo-intellectual who rents out the spare room in the Grims' basement. From the moment he is on screen, Henry Fool spouts clever, if ultimately pretentious, musings on life, sex, love and family affairs. Never having been exposed to such a worldly view, Simon is immediately fascinated by Henry.
He is even more curious, though, of Henry's Confession, a lifetime epic he has been writing for many years. In it, Henry says, are enough explosive literary and intellectual elements to blow a hole through the entire world. Armageddon, indeed.
Inspired by Henry's seeming thirst for knowledge, Simon slowly begins to wiggle out of his introspective shell, much to the chagrin of his family. Equally motivated by Henry's urging him to express his creative instincts (and a notebook Henry gives him), Simon writes his own opus, a book-length poem that unleashes every ounce of fear, rage, despair, anger and happiness he has held inside all his life.
Upon reading Simon's own confession, Henry is visibly impressed and maybe a bit jealous. Still, he takes it upon himself to ensure Simon's success and attempts to get the book in the right hands. The humble garbage man is resistant at first, but he soon gets caught up in the anticipation of success.
Not all is smooth sailing in Simon's literary journey. He is constantly badgered by his dependent mother and sister, both of whom admittedly believed Simon was retarded for much of his childhood. Adding fuel to the fire is Henry's own involvement with the family, which veers between authoritarian commands and sexual companionship.
Henry Fool is excellent in its unity of storylines and in its chemistry between characters. Simon's journey into the social and commercial worlds plays out well against the disintegration of his own family, as does Henry's eventual disillusionment with his self-perception and initially unflinching ego.
Grim is quite good as Simon, a man catapulted into a world he doesn't quite understand and doesn't always want to be a part of. His cold stare and leveled speaking voice belie the emotion that is undoubtedly let out in his own poem. It's a careful, admirable performance.
Ryan, in his film debut, brings a unique edge and approach to acting to the table. He speaks in riddles and flourishes, mounting each sentence on a curve that plays out in every conversation.
It's a bit of a start to watch his technique initially, but Ryan's work nicely complements the character once the story settles into a groove. The only problem is, we never really believe everything Henry is saying because of both Ryan's technique and Hartley's character description. Perhaps it's intentional, but Henry Fool never seems like more than a shyster with a bit of a soft spot.
As mentioned, Posey strips away her punchy-pastel veneer to reveal the markings of an affecting dramatic actress. She starts off like a party girl with a nasty hangover, but her character soon becomes embroiled in deeper issues. She rises to the occasion nicely.
Porter is affecting as Mary, Fay and Simon's long-suffering mother. A number of smaller roles are imbued with memorable moments as well from a gaggle of enthusiastic actors (Kevin Corrigan, Diana Ruppe, Veanna Cox, Jan Leslie Harding and Christy Romano, to name a few). James Saito and Miho Nikaido are particularly touching as the father-daughter proprietors of a small store.
Trimmed down about 15 minutes, Henry Fool could have had a bit more of an impact.
In its slight excess, though, the film is a commendable and credible piece of work from Hartley's complex mind.
By delving deep into the machinations of life through the sheen of literary prose, Henry Fool is often easily justified as a peculiar brand of poetry in motion.
Rated
R
Running Time
141 min
Playing
Landmark River Oaks