C'MON C'MON

 Joaquin Phoenix     Gaby Hoffmann     Scoot McNairy

Jaboukie Young-White     Molly Webster

            I can see why so many people are taken with C’mon C’mon, a tender story about a man who has never been around children is suddenly charged with taking care of his nine year-old nephew while the parents deal with the father’s mental illness.  What was supposed to be a few days turns into weeks, so the two males get to know each other quite well.

            Johnny (Phoenix) has an interesting job as a radio journalist in New York interviewing children of all types/races/nationalities about what they think about the future.  He tries this out on his nephew Jesse (Young-White), who will have none of it, even though he is a bright imaginative kid whose mother has fostered his creativity and inquiring mind.  Jesse is not keen on necessarily doing what is expected, but he is into technology and the media, so Johnny wisely engages him in recording all kinds of urban and beach sounds on the huge microphone he uses for his interviews.  

            As time goes by, Johnny’s patience is tested by the child—who might suddenly disappear from sight—and has definite opinions about what he will and won’t do.  Still, the kid is interesting, and comes up with questions about Johnny’s personal life that take him off guard and force him to express himself in ways he has never done before.  Periodically, he speaks on the phone with Jesse’s mother Viv (Hoffmann) and is able to get advice from her as well as great understanding of the trials and frustrations of taking care of children.

            Joaquin Phoenix is gifted in portraying all kinds of roles, and he fits perfectly into this one, showing his playful side, psychological vulnerabilities, and anxiety when he feels at sea.  It’s realistic the way he might show a sudden urge to quash the child while still clearly being charmed by him.  He and Young-White appear to have a real affinity for one another, just as Phoenix and Hoffmann do.  It’s easy to imagine them all in the same family.  And the arc of Johnny’s and Jesse’s loving relationship is one of the best features; it shows an initial interest that gradually blossoms into a connection between them that will be valuable for both.

            Some of my reaction to this film of writer-director Mike Mills comes from my years of experience of talking with children and parents during my professional career as a psychologist in a pediatrics department.  I loved that job, but I think because of it I do not have the same fascination with the material as would those who are less familiar with children’s minds.  I certainly do still find children enormously fascinating, but what frustrated me about the stories here is that they are all like snippets that pique my interest without much follow-up or antecedent information.  It’s a bit like having a meal of appetizers; which can be enjoyable, but is not likely to be memorable or inspiring.  Because of this, C’mon C’mon borders on the prosaic.

 

C’mon C’mon presents slices of daily life in the dynamic relationship between an emotionally detached man and his clever nephew.

 

Grade:  C                                 By Donna R. Copeland

WILD

Reese Witherspoon     Laura Dern     Thomas Sadoski     Michiel Huisman

Gaby Hoffmann     Kevin Rankin     W. Earl Brown

     A young woman makes a soul-cleansing journey (1100 miles) to make amends and work through a painful grief by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from the southern border of California up to the Oregon-Washington border.  Reese Witherspoon is enchanting in playing the role of Cheryl Strayed, who ventures out with little preparation or training, only a set jaw and little, albeit some, trepidation.  In her favor besides her heroic determination are good looks and a winning personality. 

     Her first challenge is simply loading her gigantic pack and struggling to put it on her back and stand up, which takes several tries.  After she has walked several days, one helpful person helps her go through it and throw out all unnecessary items, and things go better after that.  She has to climb over large rock formations, wade through waist-deep water, and trudge through snow, so lightening it is essential.

     What makes the story so engaging are not only her personal struggles, but the many kinds of people Cheryl meets along the trail, some initially threatening, some clearly threatening, many who are clearly helpful, and even a rosy-cheeked curly-headed cherubic boy who wins her heart by being interested in her and eventually singing her a song.  This occurs toward the end of the trail and precipitates an emotional break-through for her.  Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallee (Dallas Buyers Club, C.R.A.Z.Y., The Young Victoria) also hooks the viewer in with his artful way of inserting scenes of Cheryl’s past, which informs about who she is, what she has experienced, and why she is on this journey.  It seems to be a bit of a fad for filmmakers to avoid chronology and jump around in time, which to me is not always successful, but Vallee knows just how to do it so that it adds to the viewer’s experience and keeps the drama moving smoothly.  

     The film is based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir, Wild:  From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trailway, and Nick Hornby’s screenplay is a finely crafted adaptation of the book to film.  High drama, beautiful scenes of the Trail, and sprinkles of clever humor add up to a very good movie.  Witherspoon’s performance is one of her best, and the addition of Laura Dern as her mother, Thomas Sadoski as her ex-husband, and colorful characters along the trail make for a well-synchronized enactment of the fine script and direction.  Wild is likely to be mentioned more than once during awards season for 2014 films.

Take a hike.  You’ll enjoy it!

Grade:  B+                        By Donna R. Copeland