THE LAND OF STEADY HABITS
US, 2019, 98 minutes, Colour.
Ben Mendelsohn, Thomas Mann, Edie Falco, Elizabeth Marvell, Charlie Tahan, Michael Gaston, Bill Camp, Josh Pais, Connie Britton.
Directed by Nicole Holfcener.
This is a rather grim contemporary drama, rather the opposite of what the film’s title would suggest.
The adaptation of the novel and the screenplay were written by Nicole Holofcener who made some notable small budget films, Walking and Talking, Lovely and Amazing, of human nature. As this is. It is also a portrait of dysfunctional human nature.
Ben Mendelsohn, once again, has a significant role in an American film. He is Anders, divorced from his wife, though still owning the family home, aimless in his middle age. Edie Falco plays his estranged wife and Bill Camp, her partner. They have local friends, played by Elizabeth Marvell and Michael Gaston, with a special focus on their son, Charlie, played by Charlie Tahan. This young man is a close friend of Anders’ son, Preston (Thomas Mann) who also is somewhat aimless, taking drugs, evicted from home, living in his car. However, he still has a bond with his father.
Anders has some one night stands but meets a woman in a bar, Connie Britton, and begins a relationship with her. He is friendly with Charlie, being asked to mind his turtle – doing some drugs with Charlie but Charlie later being found dead. Anders wanders into a party at his former home, learns some secrets from the past. The question is, whether he will continue on his aimless way or there is some possible redemption and his taking stock of his life.
1. The title? As applied to into the central characters? The comment on American life, 21st-century?
2. The city, homes, condominiums, hotels? Socials and parties, dinners? Shops? The surrounding woods? The musical score?
3. The focus on Anders, Ben Mendelssohn’s performance? Age, career, getting out, the divorce, his feelings towards his wife? Shopping and searching for the rental for his apartment? A lonely and isolated man? Not seeing the truth, not understanding his wife and her two years? Friends, husbands and wives? His son, expectations for him, drug rehabilitation, his local jobs, going to college? His love for his father and mother? Living out of his car? The friendship with Charlie, his parents, the party and the drugs, the dead turtle? With Anders? His death, running away? And his finding Charlie’s body?
4. The reactions, telling the truth? Anders and his future, bewildered?
5. His son, his life, age, rehabilitation and its effect, bond with his parents, living with his mother, visits to his father, living in the car? His jobs and deliveries? The encounter with Charlie’s mother?
6. Ander’s wife, her life, Angus, the divorce, not wanting anything to do with Anders? Her reaction to his visits? Her partner and his presence, more passive?
7. Charlie, as a character, his age, experience, friends on drugs, giving Anders the drugs, laughing? Running away from his parents? Their expectations and disappointment? Anders and his final time with Charlie, looking after the turtle?
8. Charlie, his age, friends, the drugs – and his not wanting rehabilitation? The final visits with Anders, the tent, the drugs, the player and his death? Being found, his parents’ reactions?? Anders going away not being the?
9. The nature of the cities, the irony in the title? Relationships, sexuality, the generations? Human nature?
