By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Philip Seymour Hoffman
Starring: Amy Ryan | Daphne Rubin-Vega | John Ortiz | Philip Seymour Hoffman
Country: united_states
Year: 2010
Running time: 89
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1278379/combined
Michael says: “Hats off to Philip Seymour Hoffman! Not only is his directorial debut a warm, funny, brilliantly acted, gorgeously written romance, it’s also the most adept depiction of the internal lives of people I’ve seen on screen. It’s a simple story: a longtime couple sets up their best friend with a new co-worker. A connection forms and the two start the awkward and hesitant dance of two shy people coming together, while the longtime couple start to feel the bumps in their relationship as things slowly fall apart.
“I loved that JACK GOES BOATING isn’t about two damaged people meeting and falling in love… it’s about two real people meeting and falling in love. Jack and Connie are so fully inhabited and natural and so finely portrayed by Phil and Amy Ryan respectively that you believe their every nuanced moment. John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega have the showier roles, as Clyde and Lucy whose relationship is crumbling, but they are both honest and recognizable characters to whom we can all relate (although a dinner party scene does bring ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ to mind).. It’s nice to see such fine actors working with a strong screenplay, and conveying so much with every movement, facial expression, or tilt of the head. The sparseness of the dialog allows the film to really come alive and let’s us inhabit the minds of this quartet. Phil’s directorial choices, and the skillful camera work of cinematographer W. Mott Hupfel III take what must surely be a play that takes place in a single room and brings it fully into the real world of New York City, enhancing the cinematic experience in such scenes as Jack practicing his swimming while crossing a bridge over a highway.
“This film is right up there with WINTER’S BONE for my top film of 2010 so far, and I’m so disappointed that others couldn’t make it to this screening. Still, it’s only opening night, so there will be opportunities for each and every one of you to get out there and experience JACK GOES BOATING. 5 cats”
Scot says: “Definitely a 5 cat movie for me too. I think this may the best performance of Philip’s I’ve seen to date, which is no small matter, given it’s his directorial debut too. All the leads are perfect, actually. Not a false moment in the film.
“In retrospect, I’m amazed at how quickly and fully I got caught up in the characters’ internal lives. Jack is particularly engaging during his periodic visualization regimen, which probably speaks more to Hoffman’s directorial vision than anything else. (I am going to have to try that, by the way — practicing a new recipe by repeated cooking visualization.)
“The balance of humor, almost-humor, and really uncomfortable moments in the film is sublime. Thank God for that climax moment between Jack and Connie, too. It’s so shocking, simple, and welcome that it brought tears to my eyes… after I got over the initial surprise. But the less said about that moment the better. 5 cats”
Diane says: “Yup, a nom for Best Actor for Phil Hoffman for this one. How can I help myself? His is a quiet, average character, but you can’t look away. Some kind of magic!”
Marilyn responds: “I could not agree with you more Diane. As usual :)”