Lawrence Kasdan’s son tackles the idea of quiet screams emitting from behind closed doors of suburban homes. Jon Kasdan takes a jilted soft porn writer named Carter (Adam Brody), flies him from LA to Michigan to reconnect with his ailing grandmother and at last write his long simmering epic.
What he discovers is that he can be in a buzzing complicated city or a verdant backwater and life is always tough. It’s unpredictable, challenging, messy and rewarding no matter what the stimuli.
He’s extremely sensitive to the things that tug at others’ hearts and he finds that although he believes he’s an emotional cripple, he is a rock, capable of helping others in their private journeys, able to give unselfishly. It’s a profound discovery.
Carter thinks his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) is dotty because she constantly tells him she’s dying. He lectures her ‘No, you’re not!’. He cleans up her home and life, taking on the familial jobs his mother didn’t and relishing his newfound connection.
How true to life, then he finds Meg Ryan living across the street (?!) She is Sarah she’s gorgeous and wise and a wonderful companion on romantic woodland walks. But she has breast cancer. Carter’s caring leads to a kiss on the eve of her mastectomy. He’s also involved in an intense platonic relationship with Sarah’s daughter (Lucy (Kristen Stewart) whose selfishness blinds her to her mother’s pain.
Carter takes on the emotional burden of all three women, mothering them while he’s healing.
It’s a remarkable premise, but sometimes the lines don’t go always down so easily. There are ham-handed moments but overall, it’s a fine try.
Brody is a revelation, easily carrying the picture through its many highs and lows.
Meg Ryan’s post awful plastic surgery appearance is inspiring. She has made the leap from goofy comedienne to adult dramatic actor and I for one, am impressed. Didn’t think she had the range.
A few problems with Kristen Stewart’s performance as Lucy. She has in indistinct way of speaking, without moving her lips. She also slouches as though she has no interest in what she’s doing.
These things can be fixed with elocution and movement - dance training but right now, she’s a pretty face who can tear up. She showed plenty of promise in 'Panic Room.'
The film is listed as a comedy - drama but there’s not much to laugh at. It is serious, reflective and, with the constant rain of sadness falling on each character, depressing. There is a positive bent to the suffering though, and Brody’s character’s sojourn into acceptance is rewarding.
This is Kasdan’s directorial debut. He’s an actor with just two writing credits. But with a great director as a father, and an obvious passion for interesting subjects, no doubt he can move ahead into a nice writing and directing career.
In the Land of Women
Opens April 20. MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sexual content, thematic elements and language.
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