EVERYTHING MUST GO

US, 2010, 97 minutes, Colour.
Will Ferrell, Christopher Jordan Wallace, Rebecca Hall, Michael Pena, Stephen Root, Laura Dern.
Directed by Dan Rush.

Unheralded and sent straight to DVD release in Australia. What a pity. And, yet, after seeing it, it is clear that most audiences would find it too serious, something of a downer (though it is not without hope) and not the kind of film they expect or want to see Will Ferrell in. A pity because it is a humane film about actual situations that people find themselves in.

Will Ferrell has shown he can do comedy, sometimes broad, sometimes crass, sometimes hilarious – think Ron Burgundy or Ricky Bobby. But, he did somewhat serious very effectively in Stranger Than Fiction. While there are many sardonic remarks, his character here is very serious, a middle-aged man who has lost his wife, job, house and a great deal of his self-respect, an alcoholic who doesn’t seem to care and who can’t be persuaded to care.

The opening of the film emphasises this as we see him in action (and in inaction). Locked out of his house, he sets up on his lawn with his possessions, and sits and drinks beer. His sponsor, a detective (Michael Pena) gives him three days legal leeway to sell his possessions strewn over his front lawn or be arrested.

But, despite himself and his lack of effort, all is not lost. Best of all he encounters a young boy whose mother is caring for a neighbour down the street and rides around on his bike. They talk, strike up a deal for looking out for the possessions – and then a partnership as Nick decides that the sale will go ahead.

In fact, a lot of the film is about the sale, the people, bargain hunting, what can go and what not, despite the title that everything must go. When most of it has gone, Nick does have a chance to think more positively about the future.

There are effective scenes of interaction with his neighbours, a rather boorish man next door (Stephen Root), a pregnant photographer moving in across the road (Rebecca Hall) and a visit to a high school friend from the past (Laura Dern). The encounters with the two women, especially Nick’s unwarranted insulting of the photographer, provide quite moving scenes.

However, it is in the subtlety of his growing friendship with the boy, the boy acting his age but also showing a better adult sense than Nick (and better at conducting the sale). The boy is played by Christopher Jordan Wallace, the son of the late rapper, Biggie Smalls (and played his father as a boy in the biopic, Notorious).

A satisfying look at the troubles of an ordinary man, some friendship and solidarity and an encouragement that people can change for the better.

1. A Raymond Carver story? The tone of his stories? Human nature, wry observations?

2. The title? The emphasis on the sale? Carver’s story, Why Don't You Dance?

3. The Arizona town, the landscapes and the desert, the business world, carparks and supermarkets, shops? The street, homes? Police precinct? Ordinary, audiences identifying with situations and characters? The musical score?

4. Will Ferrell as Nick, serious, comic, sardonic? The crisis and his alienating people? Becoming desperate, emotionally? In denial? His offending people? His friends? The prospect of the sale?

5. Nick at the opening, his job, the interview, the list of offences, his being fired, the gift of the knife, putting the knife in the tyre – and the boss later recounting the story and the possibility of his being rehired? His skill in sales? The boxes of possessions, buying all the beer, his car, the house and his being locked out, sitting on the lawn, his possessions on the lawn, sitting and drinking, the yobs outside the shop, the confrontation? His decision to tough out the situation, his vulnerability? His wife leaving him – and the phone calls and not answering?

6. His sitting and drinking, the neighbour and the criticism, the police and the interrogation? His recommending Frank? Frank turning up, the discussion about his being a sponsor, the drinking, his wife leaving him? Frank offering him three days for a garage sale but then he would have to be arrested? The options, not entering the house? Going to the supermarket, his card being refused? His wife’s decisions about the money and the cards?

7. Kenny, riding the bike, circling Nick, the story about his mother looking after the old person, his watching the goods, the deal about the beef jerky, Nick riding the pushbike? The decision about the sale? Kenny and his interest, the book about sales, his learning, quoting the rules of sales? Looking at the possessions, his skill in selling? His interest in baseball coaching, not good at sports, his embarrassment and the insults in the changing room? His charming people – and giving them bargains?

8. Nick and the sale, the man with the fifty cents, returning and Nick giving him the chair for his TV, his embracing Nick? Nick sleeping the night on the lawn?

9. The discussions with Frank, eventually going to the station, his anger with Frank because of his wife’s staying at Frank’s house, Frank and his telling him the truth?

10. Samantha, Nick seeing her, conversation, her story, photographer from New York, her husband’s job, moving, her pregnancy? The attraction? Nick making moves, Samantha backing off? His drinking and abusing Samantha, the type of girl who would just do what her husband demanded...? Her being affronted? His apology, the gift, going out for the meal with Kenny? A reconciliation? Her husband turning up – and her future?

11. Looking up the old school album, the comments, Delilah’s photo? Finding her address, going to visit, the awkwardness, her inviting him in? Her children? Her story, to California, the commercial with Brad Pitt, her husband leaving her? Coming home? A good woman, the disappointments in life, her empathy with Nick? The offer of continued friendship?

12. Elliot, his sexual relationship with his wife? Nick giving him the box of Playboys?

13. The end of the film – and the screenplay offering a glimpse of all the central characters and where they were at – indicating where they would go?

14. Nick, the experience of the crisis? His capacity for reform or not? For making decisions for a fruitful future?