Wednesday, February 21, 2007
House of D
I TiVo'd *House of D* thinking that I just might not like it. However, I was actually surprised how much I loved it, along with a few tears.
The movie is a flashback of Tom Warshaw (David Duchovny), an American artist living in Paris. As Tom's son is soon turning 13, Tom goes back to a time when he was nearing 13.
Tommy takes care of his chain-smoking mother (Tea Leoni), who has a difficult time coping with the recent death of her husband. Although she is supposed to console Tommy, it is Tommy who actually has to look after his mother. Tommy also takes care or rather, defends his best friend. His best friend is a 41-year-old slightly retarded janitor and deliveryman, Pappass (Robin Williams). Meanwhile, Tommy is getting advice from female inmate, Lady (Erykah Badu) at the local women's house of detention about intimate issues (dancing, girls, etc.). Tommy cannot see her except her hands. They carry a conversation by shouting across as Lady is jailed on the second (or third?) floor.
With the exception of his clingy mother and his father's death, life seems to be good for Tommy. However, things take a turn for the worse when the mother overdoses on pills and becomes brain-dead and Pappass steals a bike. Ultimately, Tommy blames Lady for everything. Lady, realizing the severity of situations, riles him into further anger to make him run. Although Tommy didn't see her point, Lady was actually setting him free...to be a man.
The whole point was about a boy's journey/transition becoming a man. Despite the death of Tommy's father, Tommy had it pretty good as a boy. But, there came a point where Tommy had to lose a few things or rather, people before he could became a man. He loses his mother as well as the girl he likes. He loses trust of a "friend" whose advice he once sought. The hardest of all, he deserts his best friend. The irony here was that while Pappass was an older man, he would never actually be (or was) a man. However, in this moment, Pappass realizes that Tommny needed to go and find himself and gives his blessing.
Overall, *House of D* was a wonderful movie. David Duchovny did a superb job as a director. I'd definitely check out future movies directed by him. Go check it out, along with a few laughs and tears.
Labels: movies
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