There
is nothing cute or quirky about mental illness. The truth is, it can be a
gravely serious matter. This film belatedly comes to that realization, after
first forcing us to sit through some wildly misplaced rom-com tropes. It is
definitely safe to say Ben Layton is plagued by emotional issues. His two
unsuccessful suicide attempts would be our first clue. However, the Amélie-like
pixie his parents briefly adopted might help him right his pathetic,
meaningless life in Jason James’s Entanglement
(trailer
here), which opens today in New York.
Layton
is stunned to learn his parents had briefly adopted Hanna Weathers when they
had finally given up on conceiving, right before his fetus unexpectedly announced
its development. They quickly returned her (maybe they got a store credit or
something), focusing on their neurotic bundle of joy instead. They never planned
to tell their moody son, but his father accidentally let it slip. Somehow,
Layton gets the notion in his head that everything in his life would have been
better if he had a big sister to help guide him.
With
the help of his long-suffering neighbor Tabby Song (who for some inexplicable
reason, often comes over to tidy up his flat), Layton tracks down his would’ve
been sister. It turns out Weathers is an attractive Holly Golightly figure, who
shares his burgeoning romantic interest (she offers up some overwritten rigmarole
about molecular entanglement, by way of explanation). There is no problem with any
of that, because they were never related. Of course, Weathers has a secret of
her own that is quite problematic in its way.
Screenwriter
Jason Filiatrault has actually written an inventive and intriguing third act,
but getting there is sheer water torture. The forced cuteness that comes before
is absolutely nauseating and it appears moral questionable if you don’t stick
around for the full picture.
Sadly,
lead actor Thomas Middleditch makes that sticking around a painful chore to endure.
It would be less unpleasant to watch algae for an hour than spend time with his
abrasively neurotic persona. It is also borderline offensive to have a bright,
charismatic screen thesp like Diana Bang playing such a subservient role—enthralled
to a nebbish nothing like Layton.
Eventually,
Jess Weixler’s Weathers also gets interesting, but first she must go through the
motions of all the usually free-spirited clichés. The notion that she could
possibly be attracted to a mopey sad sack like Layton is beyond incredible.
Yet, somehow everything almost all comes together down the stretch.
Frankly,
Entanglement looks like a film that
should have spent much more time in the script development phase. If it were
consistently darker and ditched the cutesy affectations, like the animated
deer, it would probably add up to considerably more. At least the film dispels the
hate it initially stokes, which is something. Way, way too much of a misfire to
recommend, Entanglement opens today
(2/9) in New York, at the Cinema Village.
