09 Agosto 2017
AN UNPUNISHED, SAD HISTORY ON ABSENCE
It’s a movie on absence - that’s why, stilistically, I do not want the people to appear.
Travis Wilkerson, director
Alabama, 1946. This is not a movie. It’s a supernew, sperimental, amazingly elegant piece of art. I would define it a mix among a performance, a noire, a doc, a trip; furthermore a social survey on non extinct racism.
Travis Wilkerson is a global artist and his results are a matter of fact. Very empathetic with his audience and very respectful, he entertains in the real sense of the word, giving a tough story of murder in his family who he choses to investigate after many years, bringing the viewer to enjoy in the meanwhile amazing photography, nice sounds, beautiful colors, creative editing.
Starting from the original graphic,associated with whimsical music, deep organic to the film and a sort of funny karaoke with it associated, the soundtrack of this movie really is as important as the characters and contributes to define each moment and attitude of the people - landscape involved. There is rap, there is soul and woe singing, everything adapted to what is it put on stage in that exact moment. The function of the music is also connected to the toughness and authority of the theme and it contributes to lighten some moments as a way out to too much committment. The story is simple but dramatic. On it a curtain of silence has dropped. Both in the family, and in the non-existent institutions and among the village. Everything is told with a sort of cyclical, piercing, recurring theme, instilling the idea that story repeats itself.The director’s great grandfatherkilled a black man in mysterious circumstances. Apparentely he did nothing wrong, only it’s Alabama, same place where a bunch of white, crazy people started the KKK. This movie is also a very subtle, political, social denunce to racism all those splitted, who killed, tortured, raped, exploited and turned into esclavage thousands black people. A message to the authorities who did nothing to punish them.
It is true that justice has two faces. One black. One white. Like the two familes involved. One underwent homicide. The other is filming it.
Seeing this touching movie contributes to understand how still real is the nationalism nowadays in the south states of the USA and how worse trumpism is raising, exploding, especially there.
This is the case where history tought nothing to mankind and alas it keeps remaining blinded.
The two main characters have three things in common.
One. They are both living long; the first is over 100 years old and the other is 90.
Two. The first is named President Roosvelt and the other’s name is Lucky. They both survived the Natzi.
Three. One carries his own carapace and coffin on his back, the other one is totally afraid of coffins and death.
It’s not a coincidence that Superlative Films produced this excellent movie. When we say Nomen Omen, a name – a guarantee, makes this movie perfect. Good humor, nice witty dialogue, excellent actors and a perfect cast chosen among friends - said to me the brilliant actor John Carroll Lynch, now even director – “we know one another for long, that’s why I called them”.
John Carrol Lynch is not only an amazing actor, unforgettable with his tough face in Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, but this new movie Lucky proved him to be a great director too.
The film is poignant, deep, funny, a celebration of a character: that of a great actor too, Harry Dean Stanton, for whom it has been built the movie. Drago Sumonja and Logan Sparks put together a really original script, the story was truly written with Harry Dean in mind, even based some of his sharp dialogues. In LA, he is really a friend of the valet of his favourite bar, when he goes to Joe’s: “You are nothing”, Lucky: “You are nothing”. Joe: “Thank you”.
Harry Dean Stanton is here a leader, we love his face from the first instant and it is a crescendo during all the 128 minutes. He is an unforgettable 90 years old man –good singer, passionate friend. He does everyday yoga in 5 excercises with 21 repetitions, he smokes three pacs a day, he is totally natural and at ease, wandering around in a dry desert city, completely sure of himself. Only such a long life-experience can give you this attitude- or maybe the help of a good director.
Other actors such as Ed Begley Jr, Tom Skerritt, David Lynch are perfect too and all the energy of this amazing story of love for life and its little tiny things is simply perfect.
