THE ROADS NOT TAKEN
UK/US, 2020, 85 minutes, Colour.
Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Branka Katic, Salma Hayek, Laura Linney.
Directed by Sally Potter.
Sally Potter has written and directed some striking independent films, often small-budget, for over 30 years. (She also writes the musical score and performs on the keyboard.)
Usually her films are set in England. This one has a New York setting (although British backing, including BBC films). The cast is also international.
The action takes place over one day, focusing on Leo (Javier Bardem) who lives in a somewhat dingy apartment, close to the overhead subway, the passing trains seeming almost to enter into his room. It appears also that he is confused. And that theme is continued strongly throughout the day. To that extent it is a sad day for him. But it will be even sadder.
On the one hand, his daughter Molly (Elle Fanning) is taking time off work to take him to the dentist and to the optometrist. Those visits ‘n in disaster for the bewildered Leo, afraid of the dentist and wetting himself, the need to go to a shop to get new trousers, but his habit of wandering off on his own causing all kinds of problems. And, when he suddenly gets out of the car driving along the New York Street, he finishes up in Emergency.
Details of his life gradually emerge, especially a visit in the hospital from his ex-wife, played by Laura Linney.
But, the drama is complex because of the flashbacks. It is hard to gauge whether the flashbacks show what actually happened or are a part of his confused memories. The memories go back to Mexico, to his relationship with Dolores (Selma Hayek) and a story of a little boy killed in a car accident, sad memories, guilt memories. On the other hand, there are flashbacks to Leo’s life as a writer, in Greece, meeting a group of young tourists, asking them about happy and sad ending a s, rowing boat towards the yacht… And so the question is: is this real or part of his literary fantasy.
And so, the title is a challenge, the roads taken, the opportunities avoided, lost, missed.
Molly has been devoted to her father even though he has been a very little part of her life. At the end, she has to make a decision, a road taken, a road not taken.
1. The work of the director, career, female perspective, small independent films? The backing for this film, British backing, BBC, filmed in the US?
2. The title, the themes? As applied to Leo? And the end for Molly?
3. The action taking place over one day, the significance of the flashbacks? Actual events? Hallucinations? The musical score, orchestral, the piano?
4. A portrait of Leo? In the room with the sound of the subway, his refusing to answer the phone, the door? Lying immobile? Molly and her phone calls, coming to see her father? The maid and her working, caring for Leo, vacuuming and waking him up? Molly and her intentions for the day, the dentist, the optometrist? Phoning into work and saying she would be late?
5. The beginnings of the flashbacks, Leo and his relationship with Dolores, her love for him, her wanting to leave? The flashback to the truck, his chasing her, getting in? Out, getting the lift back home? The memories of the dog, Nestor, the photo, his continual talking about Nestor, talking to him?
6. The significance of Dolores, the son, not picked up from school, the accident, Leo’s guilt, regrets, fostering them all his life? The visit to the cemetery, the hallucination, the meeting with Dolores, his confession and explanations?
7. Molly, her devotion to her father, in English, in Spanish? The difficulties in getting ready, going out, the taxi? The visit to the dentist, Leo and his unwillingness? Wetting his trousers, Molly and changing the trousers? Giving her own? When shopping, his wandering? In the car, his hallucinations, getting out of the car, the injury, the ambulance, in emergency, physically all right, mentally not, the diagnosis about his brain?
8. Leo, his age, his appearance, and looking the same age in the flashbacks? His mental state, loss of memory, in and out of memories, recognising Rita, naming Dolores, Molly staying with him, going out in the night, his wandering the city barefoot, the context for memories, finally meeting the Middle East on men, their concern, the police, bringing him home?
9. Molly and are calling her mother, Rita and her relationship with Leo, the marriage, the daughter, the divorce? The remaining “friends�? Rita and her insistence, concern about Molly, offering to help?
10. Molly and her losing her job?
11. The memories of Greece, his trying to write, leaving his daughter behind? The young women, the friendly one and talking about the ending of novels? The other one angry? Comment that he gave up his daughter for a book? Their paddling, going to the boat, the party and dancing? Leo and his taking the boat, rowing out, the yacht leaving, his being found drifting and rescued?
12. Finally at home, his mental state? Molly and her offer of care?
13. The title, Leo and the various roads taken and not taken? And for Molly at the end, saying she would care for him, but having to travel and write, her professional work? And the symbolism at the end of Molly’s choice of staying with her father on the bed and the other choice of her leaving and going out the door? Taking that road?
