Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Vicious Kind and Pain: A Movie Review

Director/writer: Lee Toland Krieger.

The Vicious Kind was shot by director Lee Krieger's 72nd Street Production company. Released on DVD on February 23, The Vicious Kind has been described by the online newspaper the Los Angeles Times as "surprising and memorable" (LA). One of the surprises is a breakout performance by Adam Scott as Caleb. Other surprises include family secrets, desires, and the painfulness of love. The Vicious Kind has won awards for best feature in drama and the interrelation of several conflicted family members makes the film truly one of a kind.

The synopsis is complex, but put simply the film involves cheating on someone you love. J. K. Simmons plays Donald Sinclaire a father, widow, and philanderer who understands that people do things often out of pain. The character Sinclaire says: "we do things even when we know they are wrong," in reference to cheating on his now deceased wife. Caleb played by Scott takes something from his own brother which is not his to take. Caleb also knows that protecting his brother is the right course of action, but does the opposite instead. Love is rarely kind nor sincere, but often vicious.

Donald Sinclaire's secret affair is one of several hidden truths in the film. Brittany Snow acts as Emma Gainsborough who is virginal despite a semi-punk rock lifestyle. Caleb is a lonely and deeply conflicted man who knows the truth about his father and the reality of his parent's homelife. All of these examples of secrets untightly kept by the characters means each interaction must be slightly hidden from the other characters in the film, especially Peter Sinclaire (Alex Frost). Peter is still a little naive to the many other character's motives and desires.

No matter how many examples you see of romantic love this emotion is more complex than these idealized showings of passion. As well, passion takes us on many different paths that can be full of sorrow or regret. The characters in The Vicious Kind learn that love is painful. In understanding there is connection and truth among the many characters in the film that makes this showing feel very real.

The exposure of a family separated by divorce and death is healed by the entry of a new family member. Gainsborough's appearance on the stage is what brings the three Sinclaire men together. Caleb, after being disowned, is brought back into the fold through his own initiative and the final scene of the film is one of redemption and understanding. One man comprehends another's cheating past. Gainsborough accepts something that she cannot undo herself and each character is connected through each other's pain.

There is no question that The Vicious Kind is one of the most dynamic films to come out in recent times, as director Krieger tackles some very conflicted emotions to show a deeper truth. For each viewer that truth will be different, but keep in mind the consistent theme of infidelity which touches each character to varying degrees.

Social message/philosophical message: 9.
Characters/action/interaction: 8 (brilliant performance by Adam Scott and others).
Plot/story/closure: 7 (just did not want to see this one end).

Overall: 8 out of 10.



Sources:

The Vicious Kind at the LA Times

The Vicious Kind Homepage

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