| URBANIA |
2000 - USA
Director: Jon Shear - Reviewed by Tim  I
think that one of the real meanings of film is to affect you and make you think
about the messages that have been given to you by the filmmakers. When I think
of this film, I look at city life with a bit of a jaded cynicism. We all walk
through life with some things that hang over our heads like a dark cloud—the
effort we put into making sure that our outward appearance is in compliance with
what everyone wants to see can tax even the strongest of people. I had to see
this film twice before I could actually figure out how to format what happened.Urbania, based on the stage play “Urban Folk Tales”, has a dark mood surrounding almost everything that happens. With the backdrop of random urban legends as a complement, the story focuses on Charlie (Dan Futterman), an everyman New Yorker. We learn that Charlie is gay, that there is someone that is no longer in his life, that there was an incident in his past that is filling his thoughts, and that his actions have the vigor of someone who is on a mission. There are ample hints along the way as to what happened, but they are given in such a way that keep you wondering. Charlie becomes infatuated with a guy that has caught his eye on the street, a guy "with all the right stuff". After chance encounters with this guy, the pursuit becomes a bit more drastic. He goes to this guy’s regular bar and starts asking questions of the bartender (Josh Hamilton). After learning that the guy, Dean (Samuel Ball), doesn’t usually show up until late, Charlie passes the evening with a disturbing sexual encounter, invades a couple’s privacy in a restaurant, stands in the rain, and pays a visit to an AIDS-afflicted friend, Brett (Alan Cumming). At Brett’s apartment, we get a flashback of what life was like before Charlie’s ordeal and we watch a very uncomfortable yet tender reunion with an old friend. You get the feeling that they were once really close, but something has changed all that. When Charlie returns to the bar, he finds that the object of his pursuit has finally arrived.... The story unfolds from this point on, so in order not to give anything away, I will stop there. Other reviewers have put it all on the table from the start. I think that this does an injustice to the film and believe that it’s the path that Charlie takes, which makes this film what it is. Having it all told to you, in advance, makes his journey less emotional for the viewer. This is the role that won Dan Futterman the best actor award at the 2000 Seattle International Film Festival, and after seeing the film, I agree it is well-deserved. I am always impressed with an actor who can give a performance of this caliber in a low budget, independent movie. There is a completely draining scene, later in the film, that makes you wonder if you are intruding on the character. This is the kind of performance that Hilary Swank gave in Boys Don’t Cry. I’m not saying that there will be any Oscar buzz around this movie, but it’s the little films that can make an impact. |
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