Here's a fairly obscure but recent film which flew under most radars. I came out at the tale end of last year, just getting a very limited release in time for reward season which ended up being a fruitful decision as Scarlett Johansson received her second consecutive Golden Globe nomination for her performance.
For those not in the know the film stars John Travolta in the titular role as aged alcoholic who was a former English professor. He lives in the house of an old lover who has just recently passed away along with his former student who is writing a book about his life as well as paying his penance for playing a major role in the negative path Bobby's life took. Scarlett plays the former lover's estranged daughter, Percy, who has inherited the house. Within this house and through the memories (or lack there of) that these characters mutually share concerning Percy's mother, the three form a fascinating web of relationships which are each vastly different and affectively moving.
This is not a typical Hollywood film. It is a deep character study, and to this plot tends to take a back seat. The character of Bobby Long is a fascinating personality, and Travolta nails the performance. It is possibly the best acting I've ever seen from him. Being an English major helps as well since his character and his younger protege spend a good portion of the movie going back and forth quoting various pieces of literature. Travolta nails the descent of the character from the first shot of the film right through his amazing arc to an impassioned yet still subdued speech at the end.
On the female end of the spectrum, Scarlett Johansson shows that she deserves every accolade that is thrown her way. Having recently enjoyed her in In Good Company, and before that being mesmerized by her performances in the likes of Girl with the Pearl Earring and the amazing Lost in Translation, I find myself calling this her finest performance as an actress that I have seen. Now, that is not to say I liked this movie better than Lost in Translation, not by a longshot, but her performance here showed a far greater range in terms of overall acting ability. Percy is just a far more outspoken and passionate person than the subdued and melancholic Charlotte. Seeing her and Travolta at the end of this film brought tears to my eyes, and that had little to do with the story and far more to do with the genuinity found in Percy and Bobby's eyes.
There's little in the way of flashy direction, but that's not to say it looked bad. Shainee Gabel captured a truly memorable and romantic vision of Lousiana and the outskirts of New Orleans. Her use of color and flower imagery was beautiful and meaningful without being too obtrusive. What mattered was the habitat of these people in which they interacted in interesting and meaningful ways. So, if any of you are interested in something a little different, more character driven and dealing with real human redemption and transcendence through relationships, give this flick a shot. It'll likely stick with you for a little while.
8.5/10 Awesomes
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