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MEN DON'T LEAVE
Despite a meandering and unfocused screenplay, the performances in a 1990 drama called Men Don't Leave are worth checking out, the story of a family trying to start over and having more than their share of problems doing so.
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Beth Macauley (Jessica Lange) is the mother of Chris (Chris O'Donnell) and Matt (Charlie Korsmo) who reside in Bingham, Maryland, but after the sudden death of Beth's husband John (Tom Mason), a mountain of bills force Beth and her sons to start life over again in Baltimore, where Beth gets a job as the assistant manager at a gourmet food store, while her sons begin to act out: Chris begins a totally inappropriate relationship with an older X-ray technician who lives in their building (Joan Cusack) who has no boundaries and Matt becomes BFF's with a pint-sized thief/con man named Winston (Corey Carrier). Then Beth loses her job and she, too, begins to act out, damaging her promising relationship with a sexy and eccentric musician named Charles (Arliss Howard).
I've seen a lot of movies recently regarding loss and the grieving process and what director and co-screenwriter Paul Brickman (Risky Business) is giving us here is a family who was so overwhelmed by the reality of financial issues ruling the period after dad's death that there was no time for the grieving process and how, at some point, grief must manifest itself, even if we don't know that's what happening. Unfortunately, Brickman and Barbara Benedeck's screenplay takes a really leisurely journey with this family that doesn't sustain interest for the running time, not to mention some really squirm worthy moments that are unmotivated. During the first meeting between Matt and Winston, Winston offers to split a milk dud with Matt and in order to do so, cuts it with a switchblade as long as his arm...seriously?
Despite some sluggish spots, the performances work for the most part...Lange is always watchable and Howard lights up the screen as Charles. Never understood why Arliss Howard never become a star because this guy defines charisma. Cusack invests in an initially unsympathetic character and O'Donnell also does a star-making turn as Chris that I'm sure had a lot to do with his casting in Scent of a Woman. Not for all tastes, but Jessica Lange fans should definitely check it out.
Despite a meandering and unfocused screenplay, the performances in a 1990 drama called Men Don't Leave are worth checking out, the story of a family trying to start over and having more than their share of problems doing so.
Beth Macauley (Jessica Lange) is the mother of Chris (Chris O'Donnell) and Matt (Charlie Korsmo) who reside in Bingham, Maryland, but after the sudden death of Beth's husband John (Tom Mason), a mountain of bills force Beth and her sons to start life over again in Baltimore, where Beth gets a job as the assistant manager at a gourmet food store, while her sons begin to act out: Chris begins a totally inappropriate relationship with an older X-ray technician who lives in their building (Joan Cusack) who has no boundaries and Matt becomes BFF's with a pint-sized thief/con man named Winston (Corey Carrier). Then Beth loses her job and she, too, begins to act out, damaging her promising relationship with a sexy and eccentric musician named Charles (Arliss Howard).
I've seen a lot of movies recently regarding loss and the grieving process and what director and co-screenwriter Paul Brickman (Risky Business) is giving us here is a family who was so overwhelmed by the reality of financial issues ruling the period after dad's death that there was no time for the grieving process and how, at some point, grief must manifest itself, even if we don't know that's what happening. Unfortunately, Brickman and Barbara Benedeck's screenplay takes a really leisurely journey with this family that doesn't sustain interest for the running time, not to mention some really squirm worthy moments that are unmotivated. During the first meeting between Matt and Winston, Winston offers to split a milk dud with Matt and in order to do so, cuts it with a switchblade as long as his arm...seriously?
Despite some sluggish spots, the performances work for the most part...Lange is always watchable and Howard lights up the screen as Charles. Never understood why Arliss Howard never become a star because this guy defines charisma. Cusack invests in an initially unsympathetic character and O'Donnell also does a star-making turn as Chris that I'm sure had a lot to do with his casting in Scent of a Woman. Not for all tastes, but Jessica Lange fans should definitely check it out.