Eric LaRue, 2023.
Directed by Michael Shannon.
Starring Judy Greer, Alexander Skarsgård, Paul Sparks, Alison Pill, Tracy Letts, Annie Parisse, Kate Arrington, Logan Newkirk, and Nation Sage Henrikson.
SYNOPSIS:
Janice is struggling; she moves through life as if in a haze, unable to let go of her anger and frustration. While her husband has found refuge at a new church, Janice finds it hard to seek solace in her faith despite her pastor’s pleas to heal her wounds by meeting with the mothers of her son’s victims.
Given Michael Shannon’s pleasantly outspoken current events mind, it’s not much of a surprise that the veteran actor’s directorial debut Eric LaRue (based on Brett Neveu’s stage play, adapting it for the screenplay) wants to study the psychological toll school-shooting trauma takes on both the mother of the murderer and those of the child victims.
However, what’s truly difficult to pin down is if the religious zealotry on display, often using Jesus and prayer as a means for deflecting away from the horror of what has happened, is meant to be an attempt at satirical comedy or a sincere look at trying to understand religious nutjobs failing to process a devastating tragedy. It is nigh impossible not to find some pitch-black demented humor in listening to Alexander Skarsgård’s Ron asserting to his wife Janice (an outstanding Judy Greer) that Jesus was basically with Eric every step of the way while shooting and killing three children at his high school, including when he sat down on the couch at home to watch TV afterward. And yet, roughly 30 minutes later in the movie, he breaks down at church in tears toward one of the mothers, feeling guilt over his son’s actions, proving that there is some emotional range and depth to his character.
While a part of a different church, making for a strange beef between husband and wife about which faction gets to hold a meeting between all the mothers, Janice is much more level-headed and does not look to God for these particular answers. She doesn’t know what to feel and wants to understand what she should do. Her grief and inner torment are palpable; by extension, the film is absorbing whenever she is on screen.
Then there is the inevitable working up of the mental strength to visit Eric in prison, where his presence (as played by Nation Sage Henrikson) is what you would expect from someone capable of committing that kind of evil, yet also subversive for reasons I won’t spoil. Nevertheless, that tense, lengthy dialogue exchange is scintillating and leaves one hanging on every word, although it’s not enough to salvage the rest of what’s happening, with all its awkward subplots that don’t really go anywhere. That also might potentially be the point, considering these characters are lost and unable to find answers.
Without even accounting for the flat direction, it is clear that Michael Shannon is much better at coaching actors to terrific performances. Part of that might be because the characters and dialogue are often so bizarre without a clear tone or purpose, which does fit Michael Shannon’s similarly strange but uniquely compelling presence in movies and wonderfully weird interviews over the years.
As someone who admittedly loves most of whatever Michael Shannon funnels passion into, Eric LaRue comes across as aimless and confused, not always in the intended ways. The ensemble is certainly committed to this wavelength, but the mismatch of tones and story running in circles feel frustrating, even if the entire project does show promise for Michael Shannon as a filmmaker gifted at getting the best performance from his actors, with whatever he is asking them to do, even if it doesn’t quite all align.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
