Multiple Sarcasms Timothy Hutton gives a great performance of a man who is tired of his work and married life, and is driven to work out who he is by writing a play. It is a process that is riddled with angst, his creative self attempting to emerge in spite of the inevitable obstacles, in the form of his wife, who he fears "doesn't get him," to his guilt about striking out for himself in an authentic way as possibly harming his gifted and appealing daughter, his job as an architect, which ceases to satisfy him creatively. His unkempt, "just gotten out of bed" look, complete with five o'clock shadow, hair with a will of its own and rumpled clothes give a physical presence to his discontent and yearning for something more. At times, there are surrealistic scenes, reminiscent of "The Singing Detective," (which are inspired, and for me some of the best moments of the film) where he re-writes interactions that had painful ramifications for him, e.g. his argument with his wife while they were visiting her family for Christmas, and his well-intentioned but maladroit attempt to come to his daughter's aid during a crisis at school. The other actors give natural and resonant performances, including Dana Delany with her cool, porcelain sadness as his wife, and Mira Sorvino, the wise, funny and vulnerable best friend (an iconic representation of every man's "anima"), India Ennenga as the precocious and lovable daughter, and Mario Van Peebles, playing against his usual type, as his gay friend (he gives a monologue that is so effective that it would be a good audition piece). Stockard Channing was perfectly cast as the agent, industry and worldly-wise, funny and charming. It is an ode to Manhattan as well as a right-brained, intuitive look into a man's struggle to become his authentic self through self-expression. At times he appears childlike, selfish, depressed, even crazed, and yet he is doing what he has to do to make life bearable. This brave gem of a film presents a classic view of the struggle of a creative person, highs, lows, absurdity and revelations. The images captured by his daughter and superimposed with artfully free cursive reminded me of some of the work of Corita Kent, projected into a new medium, for a new century. The music was well-chosen, beautifully performed, fit the narrative and emphasized the emotion and themes.
