ANGEL RODRIGUEZ
US, 2005, 87 minutes, Colour.
Jonan Everett, Rachel Griffiths, Denis O' Hare, Catherine Kellner, Wallace Little.
Directed by Jim Mc Kay.
This is a brief drama made for HBO television. Its focus is on teenagers and their growing up in difficult city neighbourhoods, alienation from parents, pressure from peer groups, questions about their future. The title refers to a young man, Angel Rodriguez (Jonan Everett) and the action takes place over a day or two.
Angel has difficulties at school. Yet he is intelligent and skilled in IT, especially computer games. His father despises him, insisting that he go into the Army. The father also has a girlfriend who clashes with Angel.
Yet, the film suggests hope, especially in the school counsellor played by Rachel Griffiths, eager to help, patient, listening, inviting Angel into her home for a meal with her husband (Denis O’ Hare) giving him the run of the house.
However, Angel goes off, meets up with his peers, the possibilities of a different way of life, not all according to the law. He also spends some time at computer games with his rather large friend, Raymond (Wallace Little). He goes to an IT company telling the receptionist that he has received an invitation from the boss – but is given a form to fill in and put off.
Meanwhile, the counsellor is debating whether she should continue in her work, discusses it with friends, encounters Angel.
The film ends abruptly, leading to the audience to ponder the vignettes that they have seen, the response to the counsellor, empathy or not with Angel, seeing him go back to the company and insist with the receptionist to see the boss. A sign that he is taking his life into his own hands?
1. A brief HBO films for television? Social concern?
2. The American city, the settings, school, school offices, homes, clubs, the streets, the mixture of neighbourhoods? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Angel? Angel or not?
4. The style of the screenplay, the introduction to the central characters, a series of vignettes? The effect of the succession rather than the causality? (And many audiences dissatisfied, feeling there was not enough information, development, and no ending.)
5. The character of Nicole? The place of the school? Listening to the students? Sympathetic? Strict? Hopes for the students? Taking Angel home? Make him comfortable, place to stay, meals, discussions about his future? His discussions with her husband? Nicole and her husband, the relationship, the hopes?
6. Angel, his age, the emergence of his background, past behaviour, good and bad, the interview with his father at the school, his father’s denunciation of him, condemnation, watching him to join the Army and change? Angel and his response quite? His own ambitions? His IT skills, computer games? His hopes?
7. And you’re going back to his home, collecting is things, the violent clash with his father’s girlfriend?
8. Angel, mixing with his friends, the girl, not having places to go, being invited home, on the streets? Fixing machines?
9. His friendship with Raymond, Raymond and his size, the computer games, Raymond’s mother, the meals? The bond between them?
10. Nicole, going to the school, her senses of frustration, sense of achievement? Whether to continue with this work not?
11. Angel, avoiding the authorities, his going to the IT company, the reaction of the receptionist, giving him the form, putting him off? His later returning, making a stand and the receptionist’s reaction?
12. The film stopping – Angel and his past, taking stock, overcoming the difficulties, making the approach, making a future for himself?
