ZIG ZAG
US, 2002, 101 minutes,.Colour.
John Leguizamo, Wesley Snipes, Sam Jones III, Oliver Platt, Natasha Lyonne, Luke Goss, Sherman Agustus, Elizabeth Pena.
Directed by David S. Goyer.
Zig Zag is a slice of life focusing on a 15-year-old boy, played by Sam Jones III, suffering from autism, sensing that he has inner powers and the capacity for noticing detail, but bashed by his crack-addict father, Wesley Snipes, and humiliated in his kitchen workplace, by the co-workers and by the boss, Oliver Platt.
He has some kind of hope because he is in a Big Brother program, with Singer (John Leguizamo) as his Big Brother. But, Singer is suffering from terminal cancer. There is a complication when the young boy, Louis, Zig Zag, takes money from his boss’s safe which is then stolen by his father to pay off a loan shark, Luke Goss. A detective explores the case and realises what has happened. With the help of a rather quiet cook, and with the help of a prostitute who is involved with the boss but who becomes friendly with Zig Zag (Natasha Lyonne), the situation is rectified. However, Singer dies. Zig Zag’s father is arrested, but there is some hope for Zig Zag.
The film was written and directed by David S.Goyer, best known for writing and directing horror films including some of the Blade series and Hellboy.
1. A film about a young boy, autism, abuse by his father, his Big Brother, his work in the kitchen?
2. The city, the dingy apartment, the restaurant and kitchen, the hospital? The outdoor sequences and the exhilaration for zig zag? The musical score?
3. The story of a 15-year-old? His autism? What was going on in his mind? Time standing still, his hand in the sun? His awareness of special powers? Watching the numbers on the safe and remembering them? Singer’s suggesting some things happened in his mind? His dealing with his condition, self-confidence? His age, experience, riding his bike, his father and the crack, the brutal beatings, his voice-over explaining how he could survive? The others at the apartment?
4. His work in the kitchen, the mockery by the workers, making fun of him, breaking the mirror, the attitude of his boss, ridicule? His hard work, watching his boss, taking the money, bringing it home after hiding it, the bags, his father’s reaction, taking the money, re-paying the loan-shark?
5. Zig Zag and his working with Singer? The Big Brother program? Singer’s taking him out, to the movies, their talking, confidence, the real bond? Singer and his concern? The money, wanting to return it? The visit to the loan shark, British, the loan shark’s reaction, later giving the money? The plann to return it, the boss changing the safe number, the silent worker and his collaboration, helping him to get the new number, returning the money?
6. The boss, a sleaze, with the workers, his racist vocabulary, bigoted attitudes, mocking Zig Zag, thinking the young girl robbed the safe, not contemplating Zig Zag could? His bringing Jenny into the store, the kitchen, sexual encounters, his being married?
7. Jenny, with the boss, meeting Zig Zag, learning more about Zig Zag, meeting Singer, her going to the hospital, Zig Zag and his concern about Singer’s sexual experience? the meeting, helping with the return of the money? Zig Zag saying that he could meet Jenny later?
8. The loan shark, British, the club, the dancers, Zig Zag’s sexual curiosity, Singer explaining breasts, in class, asking about breasts, the reaction of the
teacher?
9. Singer, the authorities, his collapse, hospital, the pathos of his illness, his knowing that he would die, his death?
10. Zig Zag and his father, going to jail, getting out, the confrontation about the money, Jenny and hitting him, his being arrested for breaking parole?
11. A slice of life, sympathetic characters, unsympathetic characters, a story with sadness but with hope? Zig Zag at 18 and in the institution?
