Rating:
Director: Chip Hourihan
Producers: Chip Hourihan, Vivian Holtzman
Writer: Chip Hourihan
Director of Photography: Luke Eder
Cast: Paul Frediani, Chris Van Strander, Petra Wright
Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew
| GLISSANDO Rating: Director: Chip Hourihan Producers: Chip Hourihan, Vivian Holtzman Writer: Chip Hourihan Director of Photography: Luke Eder Cast: Paul Frediani, Chris Van Strander, Petra Wright Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew |
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Review by: Warren
Curry
9/07/02
Based on a story by Robert Boswell, writer/director Chip Hourihan's Glissando is a dense, atmospheric film that casts a very objective eye on its character-driven content. The film doesn't contain any sort of traditional hook and possesses more of a cumulative effect, which results in a work that takes a while to fully digest. But, it's also a film that is hard to shake, revealing many of its gifts upon reflection (the movie had a much greater impact upon my second viewing). Thoughtfully constructed and beautifully shot (D.P. Luke Eder really works wonders with the mini-DV format), Glissando is a downbeat yet captivating work that feels spacious both in its deliberate pacing and visual approach.
Certainly not a plot-oriented script, Glissando centers on the interaction between the members of a makeshift dysfunctional family living for the time being in desolate Gila Bend, Arizona. Making up the unit are 15-year old Jim (Chris Van Strander), his nomadic father (Paul Frediani) and a woman named Alida (Petra Wright), who acts as both wife and mother. Alida is a new addition to the clan, having just met Father (which is the character's credited name) a few weeks earlier after being abandoned at the motel where he is employed. While Father is at work, Alida and Jim spend many listless days together in their apartment, watching television, talking and eventually developing a bond that takes an unusual twist when the teenager learns of the woman's promiscuous behavior. Left in the dark is Father, whose attention is temporarily diverted when he discovers the whereabouts of his long lost brother, leading the man to take the family on an impromptu trip to find his sibling.
Hourihan employs an intriguing mix of both purely expositional and very colorful dialogue. Father, known for frequently sharing his past experiences via well-rehearsed stories, is a difficult character to put your finger on, which is a good thing in this case. All of the characters almost defy judgment, as they do their best to basically just exist in the best manner possible, seeming to have an abstract realization that they weren't dealt the best hands in life. They're flawed, very imperfect, but quite real.
Frediani's performance is an acquired taste, and one that I felt ran hot and cold. There's something discernibly self-conscious about the way he delivers his dialogue, but the actor definitely has a unique screen presence. Van Strander and Wright anchor the film with fine, understated performances, as the former is often most expressive in his often long stretches of silence.
According to the press notes, Glissando was shot employing most of the rules of the Dogma '95 manifesto, although the filmmakers used liberal interpretations of the tenets when necessary. Glissando isn't as bombastic as, say, the work of Lars Von Trier, and while the film eschews a conventional plot, it does have an accessible narrative. Hourihan shapes his film smoothly around the edges and there's nothing that feels forced, although a few scenes do seem to extend longer than necessary. Although the pacing is slow, the film continually forges ahead, and the sub 90-minute running time is indicative of the fact that the filmmaker leaves little fat untrimmed.
While it's apparent that the film is a
period piece, I had a tough time grasping the time frame it was
set in. Only when reading the story synopsis (after watching the
movie) did I realize the film took place in the 70's, which is
more an observation than a criticism. Ultimately, Chip Hourihan
displays an impressive command of the material and is content
to let his film play out in a very naturalistic, quiet way. It
may take some time to fully appreciate Glissando, but the
net result is quite impressive.
Let's all talk about it in the message
boards.
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