THE COMEBACK SEASON
US, 2006, 101 minutes, Colour.
Ray Liotta, Shaun Sipos, Glenne Headley, Rachel Blanchard.
Directed by Bruce Mc Culloch.
Comeback Season is a sports film but it is very much a mid-life crisis film.
At a special family dinner, the father, Ray Liotta, confesses that he has had an affair. This has a powerful effect on his wife who kicks him out and on his daughters, one of whom is quite alienated, the other helping out with meals as her father moves next door to live with one of the city’s sports champions, after they both find themselves in jail. The champion himself is having difficulties with his parents and their pressures on him about his career.
This means that both the characters have to learn lessons, especially since the father was not very friendly with the young man in the past. However, it he gives the young men the benefit of his experience – and both of them learn something about life. At times, it seems that there will be no resolution between husband and wife, but some circumstances are created and the film ends well.
1. The title? The reference to marriage? The parallel with sport? The two central characters and their interconnecting stories?
2. The American city, ordinary, homes, sport, workplaces, motels, offices, police precincts? The contrast with the beauty of the countryside?
3. The plausibility of the plot? The cases? Parallels? Mutual help, treatment? Resolution?
4. Walter’s story, waking, the anniversary, pondering, his wife’s kiss, at work, the girl, touching, edginess? The dinner, announcing the engagement, his
feeling miserable, telling the truth? Why at this moment? The upset, his being ousted, going to the girlfriend for the night, being ousted again? His work, the board, wanting him to have time off? The motel, his cards canceled, the fight, going to jail?
5. Skylar, next door, his seeing Walter and reaction reactions? Routine, dressing, the mascot? His parents and their dominance? On the field, play, the injury, hospital, the Doctor? His mother and father and their expectations? His going home, lolling around, going out, drinking, smashing the television with the football on it, going to jail?
6. Walter’s daughter, arriving, caring? His getting out of jail, having no home? Agreeing to go with Skylar? becoming roommates, lending clothes, eating burritos, the age in the relationship between the two?
7. Walter’s wife, her reaction, how credible? Venomous feelings? Younger, the flirtation with the trainer, the book? Disillusionment with him? Chloe, harsh, her fiancé? The shopping and the issue of money?
8. Walter, time off, getting the newspaper from next door, the meals brought to him, reading, the book, cards? Helping Schuyler, his weight, water, younger and help?
9. Time passing, the two confiding in each other, the truth, Walter and his visits? The issue of the wedding cash? Going to the bank?
10. Walter’s visit to the coaches? Disappearance? Disappointment? The issue of the scholarship?
11. Caroline, Skylar, the past, going with him, the upset, the dance, his remarks, the tape?
12. The preparations for the wedding? Throwing the cash? The police? Leaving?
13. Skylar and the date, the car, the hall, the dance, change?
14. Walter and his gift? The video of places he and his wife had been to? The effort to find Walter, the motel, his walking his door to down the aisle? Possibilities for reconciliation?
15. A serious look at marriage, infidelity and mistakes, time to reflect, reality of love?
