In
the movies, impending storms usually accompany simmering sexual tension, possibly
laced with violence. That is true in spades for this soon-to-be water-logged
Louisiana Barrier Island burg. Crazy Walter would rather bat down his handyman
than batten down the hatches in Stephen S. Campanelli’s Grand Isle,
which opens tomorrow in New York.
With
tons of debt, a new born daughter, and a frail wife perhaps suffering from a
mild form of postpartum depression, Buddy needs money, so takes an odd job
fixing Walter’s fence. For some reason, the swaggering alcoholic insists he
must complete the job that day or no dough, but the poor handyman cannot finish
before the gale-force storm rolls in. (Seriously, it is only eight or ten white
pickets.)
Reluctantly
accepting the shelter Walter grudgingly offers, Buddy finds himself in the
middle of a very dysfunctional marital dynamic. Before long, Walter’s
Maggie-the-Cat-like wife Fancy starts coming on to Buddy in such an unsubtle
manner, even Walter notices. Of course, that just makes him angrier and more
unstable. Yet, he also has an offer to make Buddy. It is not exactly the “indecent”
kind, but it will definitely be criminal. Regardless, Buddy will rue the day he
walked into their home, especially during Detective Jones’ in media res
interrogation sessions.
This
is Nic Cage’s fifth film released in theaters this year, with another due
January, so we have to admire his work ethic. He clearly has a keen affinity for
Louisiana noir (after all, you can see his future pyramid-shaped crypt in St
Louis Cemetery #1). As Walter, he snarls with all the wild abandon you would
hope for. Nevertheless, it is still disappointing to see him help resurrect the
hurtful stereotype of the crazy Vietnam veteran. In fact, screenwriters Iver
William Jallah and Rich Ronat go out of their way to portray the Vietnam Vet as
a monstrous caricature, setting the film in the year 1989, for no discernible
reason except for making the raging Walter age-appropriate for his supposed
service record.
It
is too bad Grand Isle turns out to be such a buzz kill for veterans and
their families, because Cage largely maintains the right level of crazy as Walter.
It is also great fun to watch Kelsey Grammer lay down the law as no-nonsense, God-fearing
Det. Jones. Plus, KaDee Strickland chews so much scenery as Fancy, we can definitely
buy into her marriage to a Nic Cage character.