House of Sand and Fog (2003)
Note: Some spoilers
The most important thing to know
about "House of Sand and Fog" is that it is extremely
slow. The first 30 minutes of this film are perhaps
the most boring 30 minutes of film in a really good
movie in all of 2003. It takes forever for writer/director
Vadim Perelman to set-up the tale, a story about a
house and the damaged people that inhabit it at times.
But what evolves out of this film
and this excruciating set- up is an incredible story.
Not so much because of the plot of the film but because
of the characters, their intentions and their choices.
This is one of the few films ever made, perhaps the
only film ever made, where at nearly every opportunity,
at almost every crossroad, each character continually
makes the wrong choice. These characters head down
the wrong path, choosing the wrong option throughout
most of the film. Only once, does this choice not
ring true, only once does the choice seem contrived
and lead to imminent tragedy. Usually, these are simple
choices, small moments of bad decisions that end up
taking huge and devastating tolls on the characters'
lives. We watch the characters here, none of whom
are inherently bad, none of whom are totally wrong
or right, consistently dragged down to the depths
of despair and calamity simply by the small wrong
moves that they make. It is a wondrous and subtle
thing at play here and watching a film where there
are no heroes, there are no villains, there are no
angels and no devils makes us swoon. This is a slow,
feverish, bad dream from which there seems to be no
hope of waking. This is a remarkable film.
Because of her weaknesses, it takes
forever for us to like the character that Jennifer
Connelly plays. She's one of those (new) stereotypical
characters, a recovering addict who can never seem
to get their shit together and who end up on a downward
spiral due to one oversight or mistake. Here, Connelly's
sobering addict is also reeling from a broken marriage
and a family that does not seem to support her (presumably
mainly due to her shady past). Unlike most characters
in films today, she has a history that can't be explained
in one or two lines of expositional dialogue. But
this character is so weak-willed at times that it
is really hard to like her. She is pushed around by
every single man in this film except for a teenage
boy. He is the only one who initially feels sorry
for her. It can be infuriating.
Eventually, however, at the film's
end, Connelly's character is redeemed and we really
do care about her. Even with the film's somber and
devastating ending, it is Connelly's character's evolution
that make us see there is growth here and perhaps
a modicum of hope.
The men in the film are equally
distressing throughout. Ben Kingsley's character is
also one that we do not initially like. He beats his
wife and runs roughshod over his family. But this
character too eventually shows a heart and a soul.
We cannot help but be as engrossed as we are perplexed
about Kingsley's deposed Iranian army colonel. Kingsley,
no stranger to accolades and awards, again proves
himself an actor of immense merit in "House of Sand
and Fog." His stoic immigrant eventually crumbles
under the reality of the sorrow of the situation he
is stuck within. And his tear-filled repentance at
the film's climactic moment is one of the most powerful
scenes ever to grace the American screen.
Another standout performance comes
from Ron Eldard who has rarely been given a chance
to show what an amazing actor he can be. Eldard's
performance can be truly appreciated when one considers
what it might have been in the hands of an actor,
say, for example, Brad Pitt or Colin Farrell. Eldard's
ability to present a flawed character, whom we nonetheless
like, shows remarkable acting skill. Unafraid to appear
weak, faulted or just play stupid, Eldard gives a
performance that adds just the right amount of lightness
and humanity to the film to keep it from tumbling
into the depths of unrealistic despair. He is more
than just the meringue on the pie, he is in fact the
glue that holds the whole piece together.
Based on what must be an amazing
book (it was highlighted by Oprah on her show), "House
of Sand and Fog" is a troubling, complex and ultimately
fascinating film, if you can just make it through
the unbearably lengthy and boring set-up that takes
up the first thirty minutes of the film.
Note:
Also with Frances Fisher.
Score by James Horner. Cinematography
by Roger Deakins.
Based on the novel by Andre Dubus
III.
Kingsley is nominated for a Golden
Globe. The film is also up for several Independent
Spirit Awards.
Viewed at the Metropolitan in December
2003 with about five other people in attendance including
an older gentleman who lifted a barbell throughout
the film, clapped loudly at an odd moment during the
film and whooped at least twice during the film as
if he had some mild case of Tourette's or something.
It was annoying.
