BREATHLESS
US, 2012, 92 minutes, Colour.
Gina Gershon, Kelli Giddish, Val Kilmer, Ray Liotta, Wayne Duval.
Directed by Jesse Baget.
Breathless was written, directed and edited by Jesse Baget. At times, during the action, with so much dialogue and the action confined to the interiors of the house, one could assume that it was based on a theatrical piece.
The opening credits sequence is striking with extreme close-ups of hands, painted fingernails and the preparation of a meal. Gina Gershon has had an interesting career with characters in such films as Bound and Showgirls. Here she appears has Lorna, living in a Texas trailer, looking and acting like a heroine of 1950s Hollywood melodrama. She calls her girlfriend, Tiny (Kelli Giddish) with broad Texas accent and again, straight out of the movies. Then it is revealed that Lorna’s husband, Dale (Val Kilmer) is lying on the floor, having committed a bank robbery, then tied up and interrogated by the two women, eventually admitting the truth.
By this time, audiences will be adjusting to the style of the film, the black humour and the violence, especially when Lorna accidentally shoots her husband and he has to be cut up and disposed of.
With the arrival of a private detective, the many twists begin, revelation that Tiny has been having an affair with the husband. The two women turn on each other. Lorna won’t let the sheriff, Ray Liotta, into the house and he waits outside, allegedly waiting for a warrant.
But then the plot twists again, police arriving, more deaths. And then the revelation that Lorna is having an affair with the sheriff, cutting off the finger to indicate that she has been killed, digs up the money from the garden, puts it in her hair curlers and goes off – with the revelation that she’s been having an affair with the sheriff.
1. A black comedy? With violence?
2. The title, with reference to the different characters?
3. The credits, the extreme close-ups of the hand, the fingernails and paint, preparing the meal, cooking?
4. The action confined to the interiors of the house? The moments outside, the police car in the distance? The finale on the road? The musical score?
5. The focus on Lorna, her look, make-up and hair, the melodramas from Hollywood? Her sitting at the table, quiet, smoking? The arrival of Tiny? Her look, manner of speaking? Friendship with Lorna? Confiding in each other? Seeing Dale on the floor?
6. Considering the plot in retrospect after the revelations and the twists? The credibility of Lorna’s behaviour, towards Tiny, what she was really thinking, what she had planned, how she was executing it? Seemingly offhand, emotional? Tiny and her reactions, seeming ignorance, the revelation of her behaviour, her attitude towards Lorna?
7. The story of the robbery, the headlines, Lorna knowing that Dale did it? His past experience of robbing convenience stores? His reputation? Dumb character? Reviving, their tying him up, the interrogation, his caving in? Lorna with the gun, the accident and his being dead? Lorna upset? Tiny and her chopping him up? The bag on his head? Disposing of the parts? The mixer, the sink? The comedy getting blacker?
8. The arrival of the Sheriff, Lorna not letting him in, putting him off, telling him about Dale? The irony of this being seen as innocent, wanting a warrant? His wanting a drink? His waiting outside?
9. The investigator turning up, his manner, behaviour, the money, spying on Dale, his relationship with Tiny? Her admitting the truth? The animosity between the two women?
10. Investigator, his character, tripping, his death?
11. Lorna and Tiny, their talk, explanations, antagonisms? Tiny standing on the rug, Lorna pulling it, Tiny’s collapse?
12. Lorna, cutting off her finger? Putting the money in her hair curlers? Digging up the money? Leaving – on the road, the encounter with the sheriff again,
the revelation that they were in cahoots together?
13. The police arriving, two deputies, horrified at the scene? The sheriff, shooting Tiny? His application for resigning? The document?
14. On the road, Lorna’s arrival – and their plot together?
15. A story about completely amoral people – done with black comedy and spoof?
