RISING SON

US, 1990, 92 minutes, Colour.
Brian Dennehy, Piper Laurie, Matt Damon, Emily Longstreth, Ving Rhames, Richard Jenkins.
Directed by John David Coles.

Rising Son is a strong family drama, set in the recession of the late 80s and the closure of so many factories (and Japanese takeovers). The title is a play on words on the relationship between father and son as well as echoes of Japan. The film is another tour de force for Brian Dennehy as the union boss risen to management father. Piper Laurie is his wife and Matt Damon is his 19yr old son, forced into college and pre-med studies by the ambitions of his father. The film focuses on the father, Gus, his relationship with his son and his pushing him, the growing tension with his wife as he looses his job and she takes on a job. There is an older son who has been forced into studying law by his father. The film focuses on life in a Pennsylvania town, the tensions in an American family, memories of war (heroic as well as false) and the roles of union and management in the crisis of the 80s.

1. Interesting family drama? Work drama? a piece of Americana?
2. The Pennsylvania town, the factory and its tradition, the technology? Being superseded? Family homes? Diners and shops? Holiday homes? The middle American family? The musical score, songs?

3. The title, the reference to Chris to Charlie? The echoes of Japan? (The Japanese takeover of the firm? Gus's war effort, the medal and the bayoneting of the Japanese - and the truth)?

4. Gus, a big man? Genial, friendly with everyone? His friends in the hotel, Billy, the union members? The management, Tommy? Stop work meetings and his rhetoric with the group? His discovery of the truth about the closure, his animosity towards the Japanese? His growing disheartened? The union meeting, the award and his speech? His pride in his son? His birthday, Danny coming to visit? The birthday cake? Love for his wife, tensions with her? His going to seek employment, the interview about jobs? His age, World War II being out of date? His return, pretending to be sick? The holiday house, fishing with Charlie? Charlie trying to talk with him? His growing brutality, his job with used cars and his trying to pressurise customers? Martha getting a job, his standover tactics with her? His drinking? His demands that she come home? The clash with Charlie, the truth from Charlie? Drinking, taking the gun, going to the lake? Charlie swimming towards - the reconciliation, the telling the truth about his war record and the death of the Japanese? Listening to his son? The crisis, the transformation? Typical father, American father? Changing times?

5. Martha, her love for Gus, support? His thinking her unable to face the truth but her knowledge of what was happening with her children? Out of work, her getting a job, enjoying the job, his coming and demanding that she return? Her refusal? The reconciliation - and her concern with Gus at the lake? Sending Charlie for him? A good woman, the changing times, the image of the American woman and work?

6. The American family: the father and his opportunities, the background of the war, making the most for his sons? Danny and his law studies, practice, his resentment about his life, bewilderment about his marriage? Advice to Charlie? Charlie and his being forced into medical studies, his father's pride?

7. Charlie, his ride home, response to his parents, going to see Carol in the shop, memories of past relationships? His attraction towards Megan? Her visit, meeting his parents (and their quarrel), her trying to support Charlie? His wanting a job, to drop out of his studies? Inability to tell his father? Wanting a job at the factory - and going to the hospital and declining the job his father had arranged? His pride in his father, going to the meeting, having to demonstrate the medical techniques? His trying to play this down on the ride home? The tension with his father out of work, the birthday party, the talking things through with Danny? His telling his father, their clash? The clash on the staircase, Gus hitting his son? Charlie trying to tell the truth? Gus's apology? Charlie swimming to save his father? Their talk together, listening to the truth about his silver star? Gus throwing the bayonet away? A future?

8. Carol, her love for Charlie? Work in the town – wanting to get away from it? The dances? Going out with Charlie, on the bridge? Her telling him about her engagement - and his wanting to know whether she loved the man? The contrast with Megan, the college undergraduate, educated, visiting, her support?

9. Billy, his friendship with Gus? Anger at the paper stand and Gus paying the money? At the bar? His anger with Gus at the cafeteria, thinking he knew the truth about the closure? The fight? His house burning down - and Gus wanting to risk everything to rescue him?

10. The union rep, talking frankly with Gus? The workers on the plant, the stop-work, their reasons? The hopelessness of the situation? The bosses, the executives and their economic rationalism? Tommy and his knowing that the plant was to close? Trying to fight it, unable to do it? His plea for the men and women to get back to work?

11. A satisfying combination of human drama, social observation?