THE GLASS CASTLE
US, 2017, 127 minutes, Colour.
Woody Harrelson, Brie Larson, Naomi Watts, Ella Anderson, Chandler Head, Max Greenfield, Josh Caras, Iain Armitage, Sarah Snook, Brigette Lundy- Paine, Robin Bartlett.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
Once again the story of a dysfunctional family. But this family did not live in a big American city, pressures of urban life, personality clashes and abuse. Rather, this is the story of a family with a West Virginia, hillbilly background, moving from place to place, a great deal of love in the family but the parents having dreams rather than being anchored in reality - and the consequences for their children.
It is based on a true story, the 2005 memoir of writer, Jeannette Walls. After the harrowing experience of watching her story, her childhood and that of her sisters and brother, and of her adult experiences, there are photos of the actual characters before the final credits as well as some video excerpts of the parents in 1989.
If you want to see admirable performances, then The Glass Castle should be high on your list. The film is not exactly an entertainment. But it is a challenging look at its characters, their behaviours, their mindsets, and the effect that each has on the other.
Rex Walls comes from tough family living in the hills. Several times he takes his wife and children to visit his family, especially his dominatingly stern mother (with the touch of the sinister which gradually emerges). Rex is played by Woody Harrelson, one of his best performances, award-worthy, and building on several decades of his quality acting. Rex is a dreamer, knowledgeable, former air force. Strong skills in engineering, imagining building a house, and always drawing plans, which is environmentally friendly, made of glass. But, the fact is, he is a dreamer rather than an achiever.
While he has four children, the most significant in his life is Jeanette. The film introduces us to her as an adult, remarkably poised, well-dressed, going to an important business dinner with her fiance, the audience learning that she is a columnist, has written stories and gossip columns.
The structure of the film means that the adult Jeanette and her story is the framework for the narrative but the most dramatic part of the action is in the flashbacks. The audience knows some of this and the results of the childhood experiences. Interest is not where it is going but rather how it is going to get to this adult destination. What has Jeanette experienced, her relationship with her father, with her mother, with her siblings?
As regards the acting, Oscar-winner Brie Larson is very strong as the older Jeanette. The two young actresses who portray her as a child, especially Ella Anderson, are worth noting. While her mother, Rose Mary, an artist, is often taken for granted, sometimes in the background, she is nevertheless a very interesting character and unglamorously played by Naomi Watts.
While Rex is a dreamer, moving his family from place to place, a gambler, a drinker, unreliable, he still has great love for his children and there is intensity in his relationship with his wife. His life is an “if only…�. Particularly powerful is the episode where he goes off drink and suffers cold turkey anguish.
In fact, the children fare particularly well given all the disadvantages. But they do have a devotion to their parents, do have a sense of reliability, especially the young Jeanette, and they develop ways in which they can survive and do.
Audiences will not find this an exhilarating experience but, as they live with the characters, discover secrets. They will be encouraged by human resilience. They will realise that this kind of story, if it is to have any meaning, has to be a healing of memories.
1. A memoir? Bestseller? To film? A piece of Americana? World audiences?
2. The action in 1989? The insertion of the flashbacks? The double development of the narratives? In 1989? And 1989 in the light of the flashbacks of growing up? The effect of knowing where it was going but the question of how it was to get there?
3. Jeannette Walls, her writing, her career, her sophistication? The contrast with the childhood and its effect? The development?
4. The photos of the actual characters at the end, the video excerpts and interviews? Looking at the characters in the light of what we had seen?
5. The impression of Jeannette, her age, 1989, clothes, hair, make-up? Her relationship with David? The dinner, making a good impression, David and the account? Her liking David, their life together, the engagement? The taxi and seeing her parents in the rubbish dump, scavenging? The apartment?
6. The character of Rex, and Woody Harrelson’s performance? His appearance, age and ageing, his home, Welch, West Virginia? The later glimpses of his parents, his severe mother? The secrets, his writings and feeling he was drowning, the revelation of the abuse? The influence? Going to the air force? Marrying Rose Mary? Her art? The children? His way of life, his principles, freedom, social criticisms? On the move, gambling, drinking, confidence tricks, his dream of the Glass Castle and his drawing plans, knowledge of engineering?
7. Rose Mary, as a character, her art, her parents, her family, with Jeannette, the episode of the cooking and the fire, the paintings, the special tree? The love for her children, the bond? Her lifestyle?
8. The children, Rose Mary pregnant, the years passing, three girls and a boy? Continually on the move? The tense, living out, living in shacks, temporary? Often hungry, no money? Developing attitudes towards life?
9. Jeannette, the favourite, the different actresses portraying Jeannette, young, the episode of the burning, the talks with Rex, her responses, the episode of the swimming pool and thinking she was dying, Rex and his demands on her, to be self-sufficient? Rex’s family and living with them, the grandmother and Brian? The reading her father’s text? The later visit? Rex and his drinking, his jobs, spending Rose Mary’s money, the promise not to drink, the episode of the DTs? His falling again? His ideas and the influence on Jeannette, his knowledge, quotations, the plan of the Glass Castle?
10. The children crying, Jeannette and the decision to go to school, her leadership with the siblings? Lori and her decision to leave, Jeanette helping her with the money, getting the taxi, escaping her father?
11. Jeannette. older, at school, writing, with the local newspaper? Her father in the snooker game, the con, the man and his soliciting her, her showing him the burns, his reaction? Her father offering the share of the money? The revelation that he had taken her savings money?
12. Jeannette and her decision to leave, to go to New York, the effect on Rex?
13. The family following her to New York, living in the squat, the neighbours, their way of life, rose painting, Maureen living with them, Brian and his becoming policeman? Jeannette’s visits?
14. Rose Mary, having the meal with Jeannette, the discussion of the inheritance, wanting to borrow the million dollars?
15. The meal, David and his being wary about meeting Rex, the arguments, being forced to drink?
16. Maureen and the decision to go to California?
17. The engagement party, Rex and Rose Mary arriving, their behaviour, confronting David, Jeannette and her reaction, the confrontation with her father, telling the truth?
18. The dinner with David and the clients, the lies about her father, going to the washroom, taking stock of herself, coming back and telling the truth?
19. Rose Mary, the information that Rex was ill, his dying?
20. Thanksgiving dinner, the siblings together, Maureen coming from California, Lori, Brian and his wife? The memories?
21. An unusual upbringing – yet developing strong characters?
