| Delirium | 22nd February 2013 12:41 AM |
Margaret
Found this quite an affecting piece, and maybe due to the fact I've been in a fragile state of mind, it got to me. Directed by playwright Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count On Me), Margaret suffered numerous production problems and edits before the studio brought in various producers and directors such as Martin Scorsese and Sydney Pollack to edit it down, although Lonergan approved the final cut. As it stands the 2.5h release I saw still holds a hefty running time (there's apparently a 3 hour 'extended' cut too), but I was invested enough in the characters for that to not matter. Anna Paquin is quite extraordinary as sassy teen, Lisa, who finds herself inadvertently causing a bus accident that kills a woman; the guilt of which sends her on a path of emotional destruction that also takes its toll on those who are close to her, particularly her mother (played by J. Smith-Cameron). It's an emotionally wrought, yet understated picture that avoids the usual contrivances with some naturalistic performances that at times feel on the verge of improv, as Lisa's own adolescent processing clashes with the world weary, established despondency of her elders, all of whom harbor and repress their own internal turmoils. And while this is Paquin and Smith-Cameron's film, there is some fine support from Mark Ruffalo, Matt Damon, Jean Reno and Matthew Broderick (who also aided with funding to get the film out), among others. The film's a tad baggy, but it's the moments of quiet brilliance, honesty and subtle pinches of humour that make it. And as said, emotionally affecting without resorting to histrionics and overwrought melodrama. It's certainly stuck with me. | 