FINDING NEIGHBORS – The SLIFF 2013 Review

Review by Dane Marti

Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb. I might be pathetically misguided, but I believe that this special film’s message (at least what I took away from it) is that everyone in life has issues, hidden problems that the outside world does not always comprehend or see.  Communication can help people to understand, and even if folks attempt to avoid confrontations with strangers, new encounters can help in a variety of ways.  FINDING NEIGHBORS demonstrates these ideas in a first-rate manner. It’s both intelligent and humane, but I’m not implying that the film is also dull as dishwater. While being entertained by this story’s slice of life, I was also re-educated about the importance of communication between people—how it can inspire and enliven everyone in a positive way. Most importantly, it does these things while being entertaining as well.

As a middle-aged man, I related to the main character, a graphic novelist who is going through a mid-life crisis and/or artist breakdown. It’s been six months since Sam promised his publisher work. An editor or publisher, I wasn’t sure exactly, is leaving angry, frustrated messages on Sam’s answering machine.

Earlier in his life, Sam’s creative work had made him famous, a cult- like personality who had gone through a magical time of adulation: he seems to have lived a fun, if self-destructive life of booze and women. As the toast of the Graphic-Novel world, he was a veritable Superstar. Yep, as the opening cool animation demonstrates, he still misses those great, wild times, but….

Now Sam has changed: he’s older, married and in control—kind of. Problem is, he has become so insulated and ensconced in his suburban home and life that his creative inspiration has dried up. Sure, he loves his wife, but he needs to meet new people, to communicate and learn from new human beings. Oh, and like this reviewer, Sam could probably spend profitable time at a local gym getting back into shape.

Played with sensitive restraint. Sam (Michael O’Keefe) seems to stagger around his home in a somnambulant trance. He is sensitive to his wife’s needs (Catherine Dent, who is very convincing in her role). But, something else is bugging him, not that he always comes out and says what it is: You can see it in his eyes.  Perhaps Sam is looking for something or someone to pull him out of his morass of ennui, which is busily sucking energy from his bones.

And unlike many TV sitcoms or vacuous teen movies, Sam’s new acquaintances in the film are unique. Well, sure, one neighbor is a gorgeous young woman. We’ve seen this type of thing in movies before, but these scenes never fall into the typical, cliché silliness as seen in other flicks.  Obviously, whether she is taking a nude shower in her back yard, or just being overly honest about her feelings, Sam is like a large percentage of men: he’s attracted to her… However, that doesn’t mean he plans on jumping into the sack with her, either. In this film, characters don’t always do the right thing, but they at least utilize ‘reason.’ This does not make the film uninteresting.  Even the lovely Sherrie (Julie Mond) has her own problems. Many men might just see a gorgeous woman—but something else, something possibly painful—is percolating just under her stunning face.

The film seems to suggest that in modern life, we might think that we know our neighbors, but do we really? And…do we want to? Underneath the plastic sheen of respectability, do many of us in reality act like voyeurs, carrying flashlights in the darkness and hoping for a glimpse into our neighbor’s inner reality? Or, are we afraid that our neighbors might be peering into our personal life?

Important: Sam begins a friendship with a gay neighbor (Blake Bashoff, equally effective and real). The insights that he learns from this man make Sam question his assumptions and views; his creativity begins to finally re-awaken! As with everything else in the film, Sam’s realization here is handled by writer/director, Ron Judkins with skill and subtle honesty.  I need to find and watch Mr. Judkin’s first film. This film has many intelligent thoughts/ideas/moments and, unlike many unfortunate movies, it doesn’t feel the need to bash its ideas over anyone’s head!

The film story has conflict, though. If Sam simply transcended his ‘block’ and began to create once again, (with the help of a few essential neighbors…neighbors who also, as in life, have their own ‘issues’), the film wouldn’t completely work. Thankfully for the viewer, his lovely wife has misunderstood her husband’s new life discoveries.

Sam’s marriage is at stake. It might be humorous to see our hero locked out of his house in his underwear, but this isn’t simply a zany moment, the type seen in so many other lowbrow, wacko movie comedies! The film’s dialogue highlights the underlying solemn issues…issues that Sam and his wife, as well as the gay couple, face and discuss… scenes in which people just sit, drink tea and converse. I’m happy to report that these scenes never devolve into tediousness. The writing is very good.

This film is definitely a golden nugget from the recent independent film world. Although –I imagine–relatively low budget, the film’s visual ‘look’ never seems to be missing an indispensable component. The camerawork, within the story’s context, is perfect.  Along with the acting, the writing is skillful and well crafted.

I imagine that great care went into the ideal words in which to convey the film’s rich and serious topics. It is a perfectly realized world/ suburban landscape.  The camera compositions are spot on. As far as this goes, it reminded me of ‘American Beauty,’ but not as precious, hip or pretentious. Here, the viewer feels it is seeing a postcard into the life of a husband and wife.

I particularly loved the area of the house devoted to his art and work. I believe that the pictures, photographs and detritus on the walls of his workspace were excellent in allowing the viewer to glimpse understated, yet vital pieces of information about his character. The stuff on the walls worked well—good set design. Of course, I also appreciated the animation in the film, based presumably on the visual cartoons of a graphic novel.

Along the way, the film has moments that made me laugh—it is a funny film, but the humor comes from the situations. The borderline tragic sequences shimmer with meaning, but are never over the top or melodramatic.  Michael O’Keefe reminds me a bit of Benjamin from ‘The Graduate.’ Sometimes Sam has a similar lost look on his face, but obviously in a completely different way than the classic Dustin Hoffman film.  Unlike the confusion on a young man’s face, Sam’s expressions during the first part of the film are dazed: He looks as if he’s in a deep freeze, as if he was a corpse incased in a meat locker. Slowly, during this sweet and heartfelt movie, he transforms. I can see that he is smart enough to listen to what other people have to say.

This is a superb film. As a film buff, it is refreshing to see a movie that attempts to create a story which is entertaining, without shying away from often-mature themes scripted and filmed in an intelligent, cinematic manner.  See it.

FINDING NEIGHBORS screens Saturday November 16th at 7:00pm at The Plaza Frontenac Theater as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival

Ticket information can be found HERE

http://www.cinemastlouis.org/finding-neighbors