Signs

Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Director of Photography: Tak Fujimoto
Composer: James Newton Howard
Editor: Barbara Tulliver
Lead Actor: Mel Gibson
Year: 2002

“Signs” perhaps best showcases writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s unique blend of sci-fi and real life. While there might be aliens or monsters, they are put in a very tangible setting. While the film might be marketed as a “thriller”, it has a deep level of heart. Night asks the question, “If something like this were to happen, how would people react?”

The film may start off a little slow, with guys running around corn fields and what not, but give it a chance. A crop circle shows up in the Hess family’s corn field in Philadelphia. This is strange enough, until people are finding these strange “signs” all around the world. Theories arise as to what the cause is. The adults are not so foolish as to believe extra-terrestrials are in fact the ones responsible, but the children fearfully entertain the possibility.

Surprisingly Christian themes arise in the midst of this disturbing tale. We learn that Graham Hess (Gibson’s character), has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident. This has caused the once devout “Father Graham” to loose his faith. He has decided that no one is watching out for them and that everything that happens in life is only coincidence. During this trying experience with an eminent attack from aliens, he hits rock bottom (quite literally). But there in his basement, he ultimately succumbs to the inevitable fact that there is a God.

Through the events following, things happen that cannot be merely coincidence. The only explanation is that someone is watching out for them. We watch as Graham Hess regains his faith through a simple and artistically executed sequence at the end of the movie.

Let’s just say Mel Gibson is a master. His rustic side gives his scenes a real punch. His face is able to contort into any emotion imaginable. A very unique scene with the family around the dinner table is a good example of the kinds of emotions fighting to be realized. In some ways, that scene is a climax; a clash of stress, bitterness, love, and…food. The timing is great, as are the expressions and dialog.

Joaquin Phoenix, who plays Mel’s younger brother, once again acts with a transparent quality, making his character both vulnerable and real. I thought the little boy was too scripted and Rory didn’t really know how to deal with it. Rory did do especially well with his emotional scenes and his asthma attack. Abigail Breslin is pretty cute.

There is a very special thing that James Newton Howard does with the score in Signs. Much of the music is built around a repeating three notes. This little motif has many moods. It is played during the scariest moments and then adapted for the moments of great relief. This musical touch, I thought worked quite well. Although I am aware that if I get the soundtrack, I won’t get much more than those three notes. Which seem rather to have been played by the scenes, than to be played for them. Played by the dark and by the light; whichever is dominating at the moment.

Night doesn’t like to use CGI, which I think adds to the sense of reality in his films. At times things may seem low budget in their simplicity. Then there are other things that Night doesn’t like to do. Yes, like any controlling perfectionist, he has a little ego. For instance, he thinks cuts are often used by filmmakers to cover things up, so he uses them as little as possible. I’m not sure if the practice always aids his work, although it does force him and his actors to be precise with the takes, the care of which I think show in his work. It's growing on me.

Reservation Road

Based on the book by John Burnham Schwartz

Writer: John Burnham Schwartz, Terry George
Director: Terry George
Director of Photography: John Lindley
Editor: Naomi Geraghty
Composer: Mark Isham
Lead Actor: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly
Year: 2007

Reservation Road is a serious and sad drama about a family tragedy. A young boy is killed in a hit and run accident by Dwight Arno, played by Mark Ruffalo. The movie follows the family of the boy as they grieve and seek revenge, while almost just as much following the one that is sought. This tragic story is driven mostly by the performance of the cast, so we will look at each of the main character’s roles.

Jennifer Connelly is superb in this film. Better than in “A Beautiful Mind” I thought. She was rarely seen without teary eyes and a bed-head, which she tries to hide for the sake of her daughter. (As a side note, the make-up department wisely understood the restraint needed here and was careful not to glamorize things. Although that was a very good call, it was perhaps overly intentional). In the early stages of grappling with the death, Grace, Connelly’s character, desperately searches to see if she could be responsible for this in any way. This of course sends her deeper into grief. But soon her husband comes along side her, and assures her that she is not to blame. Then who is to blame? Well, that’s when Joaquin’s character starts to pulsate.

Ethan Learner, Joaquin’s character, is a strong father and husband who his obviously devastated by the loss of his son. He resorts to putting a lot of energy into finding who he views as “the killer”. This obsession does not help to heal him or his family. Through ‘happenstance’, or rather ‘dramatic effect’, the suspect becomes Learner’s attorney in the case. The suspense builds as Ethan gets little clues that lead to a pointblank confrontation of Dwight. This moment is obviously the climax. All through the movie we’ve seen both sides as people; with their own lives and relationships. Will the man who had this terrible thing happen take it out on the man who did it? Will he see any value worth saving in a broken down life that has little to live for, but that is nonetheless trying?

Mark Ruffalo is caught in a desperate pickle. He knows he’s done wrong, but for the sake of his son, he doesn’t own up immediately. He also knows what the consequences will be if found out. For that reason he puts it off, wanting a little more time with his son, one more chance to redeem the last thing he has (which he now only has half of). We understand Dwight’s battle and Ruffalo portrays the insecurity well.

From a script point of view, I wonder if all the “happenstance” went a little overboard. Not only was the suspect the attorney on his own case, but his ex-wife was the piano teacher of the sister of the lost boy. Is all that a little bit contrived? I wouldn’t say flat out that it doesn’t work. As a dramatic story, I think having it makes for suspense. It puts these two people so close together they get the opportunity to see each other for who they are. And then you get to feel the nakedness the character of Dwight feels when he looks Ethan in the eye. You get to feel Ethan’s suspicion and his journey to discovering the truth.

The score in Reservation Road, composed by Mark Isham, is at the same time thematic and restrained. It undertones and yet let’s you know it’s there. It insulates the emotional thrust of the story. I thought it was quite good. The song by Papercranes at the end credits is good as well.

Although there was a little bit of predictability (which isn’t necessarily bad), I think Reservation Road’s script and direction was fine. The movie is mostly a simple and meaningful story that was brought to life with a very talented cast.