*Premise spoilers.*
This film caught my attention when it first came out, but I didn’t have a chance to see it until now. I was really taken with it, an acerbic but earnest story about life and death, love and fear, and exploring America.
Loving but (over?)-protective single dad Max receives a metaphorical body slam when he learns that he has a tumor. With the chances of a successful surgery very low, he decides to make the most of the time he has left with his teenage daughter Wally. Little does she know, their cross-country road trip to attend Max’s college reunion is actually his secret plan to introduce her to her mom, so she’ll still have a parent after she loses him.
For starters, yes: this is a film whose entire premise depends on one character withholding vital information from another. There are a lot of stories out there that use this device, and I understand if people find it strained or overused. But in Max and Wally’s case, I think the movie does a good enough job establishing Max’s state of mind and the overall kind of father he is, lying to Wally because he thinks that’s protecting her, to allow me to buy it.
I find it fascinating to watch how his commitment to this decision actually hurts his relationship with Wally, even before we get into the idea of lying/betrayal/etc. Once Max has formed his plan, he’s hell bent on it, putting his foot down against any arguments or complaints on Wally’s side. He’s sick and scared and stressed, all of which make it more difficult to interact rationally with a self-centered teenager who tries his patience. And despite Wally’s complicated feelings about her mom, who left when she was a baby, Max is so determined to make this work that he’s willing to damage his own relationship with Wally to elevate her mom in her eyes.
Furthermore, even though Max is obviously keeping the big secret, Wally is hiding things from him as well. She’s a teen with a strict dad who’s figuring out who she is, whether through dating or a little youthful rebellion, and she sends Max into a spiral of worry more than once when she throws herself naively into a risky situation.
Amid all that, though, we have a father and daughter who really do love each other. They bicker and yell, they hurt one another’s feelings, and Max quickly regrets incentivizing Wally to get on board with the road trip by promising her driving lessons. But they also have silly fun together. They tease each other because they know each other so well. Max tries to impart fatherly wisdom and give his daughter incredible experiences to remember. And when they’re able to communicate, really communicate, they’re there for each other through the pain.
I’ll mention that the story takes some big swings that won’t be for everyone. After watching, I had to sit with the film for a moment to consider how I felt about the ending. Certain beats feel jarring in the moment, but as the movie has rattled around in my head for the last week, I’d say they mostly work for me.
John Cho is splendid as Max—a little stiff and pedantic, but also a dorky dad who’s dealing with something enormous and trying to draw the road map as he goes. His father-daughter chemistry with Mia Isaac’s Wally is impeccable. Between the writing and their excellent performances, I fully believe that they’ve been loving each other and getting on each other’s nerves for Wally’s whole life. Isaac strikes a good balance between thoughtless kid and teenage girl who’s capable of more than her dad always gives her credit for, and her charisma shines through. The film also features Kaya Scodelario (who I always remember best as Effy on Skins) and Jemaine Clement.
Warnings
Strong thematic elements, language, sexual content, drinking, and brief violence.
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