Living
in Missouri (2001)
Owing a hefty nod to Kevin Smith, in a weird sort
of way, "Living in Missouri" is a ultra-low-budget character
study about a man who has not matured.
Ryan is married with children, works in some sort
of drab office job and goes to movies with his best
friend Todd almost every day. He is obsessed with "Star
Wars" and even has his own website devoted to the film
franchise. Todd, meanwhile, is an unmarried schlub,
sort of a Midwestern George Costanza, who still lives
at home with his folks ("I pay rent. Its just temporary")
and works as a clerk in a video store. Amy, Todd's spouse,
constantly bickers with her husband about his lack of
interest in his home life and children. When Amy starts
confiding in Todd about her marital woes, a love triangle
develops.
The real find here is Ian McConnel as Todd. It took
me a while to get into his character. At first, the
rosy cheeked middle-aged man came across as a real downer,
a drip, the kind of guy you don't want to waste your
time on. He's not disagreeable, in fact, he's barely
there. McConnel wisely allows his character to develop
and emerge as the film progresses. When the story begins
to revolve around Todd and Amy, McConnel suddenly comes
to life in the most eye-opening way. Suddenly, we realize
what he is all about. We become concerned for him and
deeply moved by his obvious hurt and lonesomeness. McConnel
often expresses much of this with his eyes and facial
expressions. He is masterful at creating a complex and
deeply vulnerable character that anchors the film. It's
an amazing performance.
This is not to diminish the work of Connor Ratliff
as Ryan or Christina Puzzo as Amy. both of these actors,
playing a married couple, are top notch. Ratliff is
relegated to a role that finds him not very likeable
but, as the main character per se, it is his ignorance
and self absorption that propels all that happens in
the film. Puzzo, meanwhile, creates a working mom character
that is vulnerable yet strong, together yet troubled.
It is very important that we like her and understand
her and Puzzo makes all of this come together with seeming
ease. Her chemistry with McConnel, who is by no means
a looker, is palpable and, through her, we come to see
him as much more charming and full-bodied than we might
otherwise.
Filmed on video and seeming incredibly low budget,
director Shaun Peterson does an admirable job of keeping
the proceedings well paced and interesting. Relying,
perhaps too much, on establishing shots and digital
editing cuts, Peterson creates a world in local Midwestern
Missouri that acts as setting for the film. This seems,
initially perhaps, unnecessary as the film has no real
reason to be set in the Midwest other than the pun of
the title. (Missouri is pronounced in some parts as
"Misery," you see). Then again, as Kevin Smith's "Askewniverse"
is drenched in New Jersey funk, perhaps Peterson, and
scripter Ratliff, are hoping to make a commentary on
the absolute nothingness that is the Midwest. The banal
landscape, splattered with fast food joints and John
Deere sales lots, creating an blatantly American ennui
serves to punctuate how unreal life in the Midwest has
become. Farms replaced by Wendy's and Hardee's and concrete
parking lots. It is a world where there is little to
do but watch movies and get on the net.
What we have here is a wonderful character driven
film that is interesting and engrossing. Like Smith's
characters of Peter-Pan-like men who refuse to grow
up and mature, the male character here is obsessed with
the universe of George Lucas and all the movies and
toys and Internet site that this implies. He has no
real sense of what life is truly all about. He is living
in oblivion (but that title was taken). This point is
driven home with a expositional hammer in the film's
final segment but McConnel and Ratliff sure make it
work. And while this notion may not be new, it is driven
to the forefront here in a way that has never been expressed
by Smith. And in a far less quirky and comical way then
Smith ever has. "Living in Missouri" is a solid film.
And even more important, it is a film that puts the
camera squarely in the hands of the white, suburban,
Midwestern, middle-class male. It is a film of the video
revolution that is surely worthy of interest and accolades.
Note:
Filmed in and around Jeff City.
This Film Reviewed
from the 2001 Austin Film festival!
|
Report
Card
Script:
B+
Acting: A+
Cinematography\Lighting: C+
Special Effects\Make Up: B+
Music: C-
Final
Grade: B+
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