IMAGINARY HEROES

US, 2004, 111 minutes, Colour.
Sigourney Weaver, Emile Hirsch, Jeff Daniels, Michelle Williams, Kip Pardue.
Directed by Dan Harris.

Dan Harris is a young screenwriter who achieved some fame with his screenplay for X Men 2. It is more than a surprise that someone who obviously enjoys writing about larger than life imaginary heroes should write the screenplay for this film which has a decidedly downbeat tone to it and focuses once more on the dysfunctional American family and the effect that it has on the sons. The title, instead of Imaginary Heroes, could have been Real Anti-heroes.

The narrator of the film is the younger son, Tim, who has always been in the shadow of his swimming champion older brother. Their father had devoted himself to training and pushing beyond endurance the champion son while the mother favoured the younger boy. Tragedy begins the film as the family are plunged into grief, the father emotionally catatonic, the mother tough and busy, the seventeen year old trying to find his identity, his strengths and a way out of his emotional confusion. Heroes are no help.

The film is well acted by Emile Hirsh (the spoilt boy of The Emperor’s Club), Sigourney Weaver as the brittle mother and Jeff Daniels standing out in a quiet performance as the father.

Once again there are secrets and lies, perhaps a bit too overwhelming as the film tends to overextend itself and its sad events, but it is a reminder of what so many families have to deal with.


1. American families? Functional? Dysfunctional? Ordinary? The film tradition of dysfunctional families: Ordinary People, Ice Storm...?

2. The New Jersey settings? For all of the United States? Universal – for middle classes everywhere?

3. The town, homes, school, the swimming, the hospital? Ordinary? The musical score?

4. Tim and his voice-over, Matt and his swimming, the close-ups on Matt? His anguish? Tim’s explanations of his unhappiness? The visuals? Ben and his urging his son on? Matt’s room, Tim watching him? The reprising of this sequence at the end, in retrospect, Matt with the gun, asking Tim for help, Tim’s not helping, asking about Tim’s bruises? The audience perspective on this encounter and what it meant in terms of Matt’s death, Tim’s blaming himself?

5. The breakfast sequence, Tim, going to Matt’s room, returning with the blood on his shoes? The effect? Sandy? The funeral? The grief? The women talking and Sandy listening? Her closing the door on Marge? Tim and his being with the students, their asking awkward questions?

6. Suicide, its impact? Matt and his troubles? Not able to communicate? The pressures from his father, expectations of swimming? Sandy and her grieving, Ben and his grief? The place at the table, the food? Ben’s harsh attitude? Isolating himself, not working? Tim and Penny and their talking? Penny being away, her visits home? Tim not feeling part of the family?

7. Tim’s story, his diary, the scribble, the bizarre painting – and the revelation that the scribble was music? His friendship with Kyle? The clashes of the two mothers? Sleepovers with Kyle? Kyle and his tricks, the explosion at school? The authorities? The parties, the drinking, the Ecstasy? The sexual encounter? The morning, the silence? Kyle and his vehement denials? Tim being bashed by the thugs in the toilet, Kyle defending him – and the headmaster? The friendship between the two boys in the light of their common father?

8. The film as a portrait of Tim, his age, short stature, his studies, giving up the piano, his interactions with his father, his father’s verbal criticisms of him, putting him down? Sandy and her frankness in discussions with him, especially sexual matters? His girlfriend and the parties? His questioning his identity? His not looking like the family? The effect of his being told the truth by Sandy? His hatred of Ben, his outburst and anger? Ben embracing him?

9. Sandy, having to cope, her strength of character, her antagonism towards Marge? The boys and the bruises on Tim? Her going to the house to threaten? The retaliation on Tim? Her drinking? Discovering the bills, Ben not at work? Searching for him, finding him on the park bench? Memories, Ben blaming himself, Sandy asking Tim whether she was to blame? Her collapse, Marge getting her to hospital? Her illness, the doctors? The truth about the affair and Tim’s paternity? Telling Tim? The reconciliation with Ben?

10. Ben, strong-minded, silent, not going to work, on the park bench, his love for Sandy? Tim and his outburst, the truth, embracing, saying that he was always his father?

11. The portrait of Kyle, relationship with his mother, his absent father, friendship with Tim? The escapades, the parties, the encounter in Kyle’s room?

12. The girlfriend, her trying to support Tim?

13. The resolution of the family problems, the graduation, the negative speech by the valedictorian? Tim and his piano-playing, the pride of his parents and family? Penny, her support of Tim, her friendship with Vern?

14. A film that asks for reflection? And an emotional response to the problems of a dysfunctional family?