By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Atom Egoyan
Starring: Arsinée Khanjian | Cheri D'Elia | David Thewlis | Isabelle Franca | Laysla De Oliveira | Luke Wilson
Country: canada
Year: 2020
Running time: 105
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9143636/reference
Michael says: “I was delighted to find out that Atom Egoyan had a new film out in July, and even more excited that it was an original story written by Egoyan as well as directed by him. Atom’s recent work has been uneven, so I was hopeful that this might be a return to the thoughtful, original work that he has been known for. I’m pleased to say that GUEST OF HONOUR resonated with me and was a fine return to Egoyan’s often explored theme of truth, with nice sprinklings of the use of media, a hallmark of his early films.
“A father and daughter explore hidden truths kept from each other to gain a better understanding of each other. With strong acting, fine writing, and an assured directorial vision, GUEST OF HONOUR was a treat.
“The film starts with a young woman named Veronica (Laysla de Oliveira) who visits a church to speak with Father Greg (Luke Wilson) about a funeral mass for her father, Jim (David Thewlis) who had recently passed away. David wasn’t a congregant of this church, so Father Greg asks Veronica to tell him about her father so he can properly eulogize him. Veronica’s conversation with Father Greg reveals the surprising story of secrets kept, prison time, presumed betrayal, suicide and more and only as she continues to tell the tale do further truths come out putting her father in an entirely different light. Atom’s characters are complex and interesting. Jim is a restauranteur turned food inspector, whose very presence sends chills down the spines of his clients. With the flourish of a pen, he is able to shut down popular restaurants that don’t meet up with his strict codes. Veronica, is a musician/composer who is a high school band leader, who doesn’t always make the best decisions, but has a burden from her childhood that she must bear. Tying the two together is Benjamin Bunny, Veronica’s pet rabbit who falls into Jim’s custody for several years while Veronica is unable to care for him. Benjamin lives a long life, reaching the age of 16 before he dies, tying the childhood Veronica to the adult Veronica in a powerful way.
“The acting is strong. Thewlis creates an efficient man, dealing with grief, with loneliness, with regret; channeling his turmoil into a strict code that he adheres to and expects those around him to as well. Veronica is scarred by a childhood event that has repercussions well into her adulthood, and leaves her with a strong guilt that she feels the need to pay for. de Oliveira does a great job as a smart, competent woman who seems to make questionable decisions until the reasons behind those decisions are revealed. Wilson is a sympathetic sounding board, his affable, open presence drawing the characters and the viewer in to the sad story. The rest of the cast are mostly newcomers to me, although it was lovely to see Arsinee Khanjian, an Egoyan staple, play a supporting role. It was great to see Atom back in fine form… possibly his best work since ARARAT. 4 cats”
Chris says: “As nutty as much of Egoyan’s early work, if not as seamlessly executed. David Thewlis slots right into the director’s distinctive world of obsessive weirdos, labyrinthine narratives and transgressive sexual attraction. Probably Atom’s best since the misunderstood CHLOE (though admittedly I haven’t seen anything else since then apart from REMEMBER, of which I remember very little.) 3.5 cats”