By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Hilary Birmingham
Starring: Anson Mount | Catherine Kellner | Glenn Fitzgerald | Julianne Nicholson
Country: united_states
Year: 2002
Running time: 102
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0212604
Laura says: “After an arduous, two year trip to theatrical distribution, the multiple festival award winner TULLY arrives to make its mark as a true American independent. Based on the O’Henry prize winning story by Tom McNeal by coproducer/writer/directory Hilary Birmingham, this pastoral coming of age film allows devastating events to slowly attain emotional power.
“Tully takes sex for granted, most recently getting entangled with possessive stripper April (Catherine Kellner, SPRING FORWARD). He ignores disapproving looks when he buys condoms by the dozen. He’s a good-looking guy with broad shoulders for farm work and little time for introspection. Lying on the hood of his car with April, she tells him his face is bland – ‘a girl could make it into any of six different happy endings,’ she observes. Ella’s fresh-faced friendship proves a natural draw for Tully, though, and increasingly he finds himself in her company.
“Brother Earl is Tully’s opposite, darker and brooding, sensitive and thoughtful, but with enough sense of humor to enjoy Tully’s comeuppance by April, who destroys and hangs his car’s hood from a tree when she finds he’s shared it with another. Tully Sr. gruffly chides his son for the incident, but he’s secretly trying to save the farm from foreclosure caused by debt from a most surprising source. When Tully Jr. is buffeted by a one-two punch, followed by an earth-shattering tragedy, he runs from emotional involvement with the first woman who has engaged his heart.
“Hilary Birmingham directs her film so that one scene effortlessly flows into the next, letting us experience the world she’s created as one would experience rural life. Tully Sr.’s weekly trip to the store for his six-pack carries as much weight in developing his character as a heart-to-heart with his son Earl. John Foster’s unfussy photography is the perfect accompaniment to Birmingham’s style.
“Anson Mount gets into the nature of a simple guy suddenly presented with complex issues. Mount brings Tully through incomprehension and hurt
to maturity and the beginnings of emotional depth. Julianne Nicholson tells us everything about Ella’s feelings for Tully when they first run into each other. Her body language signals attraction, but her intelligence screams caution. When Tully asks what kinds of things she’s seen in this small town
to interest her, she archly replies ‘I did see Jill McIntire get out of your car in the middle of the wash cycle.’ Glenn Fitzgerald, a young actor building a solid body of work, again makes an impression as the younger brother who is more worldwise and thoughtful than his elder sibling. Burrus gives a restrained performance that nonetheless paints a full character. In a small role, Natalie Canerday gives the film underpinnings of longing and melancholy as Claire, a supermarket clerk vying for Tully Sr.’s attention.
“TULLY quietly pulls you into its sun drenched style of American Gothic in the Heartland.” 3 1/2 cats
Michael says: “Hilary Birmingham does a wonderful job on her first feature length film, tackling the story of a father and two sons struggling to hold onto their farm in modern day Nebraska. Elder son Tully, Jr. is handsome and popular with the ladies. He’s never had to give much thought to relating
to women other than enjoying a physical relationship. Younger son Earl is more introspective, while dad, Earl Sr., is somber and solitary… ever since his wife died when the kids were young.
“As secrets are revealed and the characters grow, we are treated to some truly sublime performances, and a skilled filmmaker telling a tale. Unfortunately, if there’s a weak spot in TULLY it’s in the screenplay. There isn’t really a surprise to be found in TULLY, despite the fact that Ella, the female lead (played wonderfully by Julianne Nicholson – a native of Medford!) likes to be surprised. Even when the story takes some turns toward the melodramatic, things are telegraphed.
“This doesn’t take away from the pleasure I got watching TULLY. The pacing works wonderfully for the first 3/4 (gets a little long toward the end) and the visuals are superb. The Nebraska fields are beautifully shot and Birmingham and her cinematographer John Foster use close-ups remarkably well. The score is quietly effective as well. As I mentioned before, the performances are the stand out here. Tully is a tough character to portray realistically and sympathetically, and Anson Mount does a nice job despite his model good looks. As mentioned before, Julianne Nicholson is delightful as the independent, free spirit Ella. I enjoyed Nicholson quite a bit in THE LOVE LETTER as well. She may get a Best Actress nod from me. And how I want to nominate Natalie Canderday for Best Supporting Actress for the role of Claire, although I think the role may have been a mite too small. She had me riveted every time she appeared as the cashier in the local grocery.
“I have to make a special mention of Glenn Fitzgerald as younger son Earl. Laura suggestion Glenn as a possible Gertrudis Award candidate, and he does appear on your lists. Now after seeing him in this role, realizing who he is and looking at his past roles, I think he’s perfect and may have shot into my top spot for the Gertrudis Award! His Earl was wonderful. A very dramatic role, but nicely done… very real.” 3 1/2 cats