PALM TREES AND POWER LINES
US, 2022, 110 minutes, Colour.
Lily McInerney, Jonathan Tucker, Gretchen Mol, Quinn Frankel, Armani Jackson.
Directed by Jamie Dack.
This is a small-budget independent film, winner of several awards at small festivals. In many ways, there is a similarity of theme with Cat Person, a young woman and her encounter with a man aged 34 – and the repercussions for the woman.
This feature film is based on a short film of the same name, 2018, by the writer-director, Jamie Dack.
The evocative title highlights the atmosphere of the Californian town. It is summer, vacation. The film focuses on Lily McInerney’s Lea, age 17, absent father, rebellious against her mother, taunting her about her boyfriends. She has casual sex with one of the group, he simply taking it for granted. When the boys leave the diner, she and her friend, Amber, try to go without paying and are pursued.
A man in the car follows Lea, chatting with her, breaking barriers, offering her a lift home, she flirted, exchanging numbers, and a relationship ensuing, outings, conversations, and she keeping it secret from her friends.
The man, aged 34, is Tom, played by Jonathan Tucker, ingratiating himself with Lea, flattering her, outings, attention, and then the sexual encounter.
However, the film then turns sinister, the audience realising that Tom was grooming Lea, getting her to trust him, wanting her to service, sexually, a friend, and money. The film shows the effect on Leo, the sad effect, her returning to her mother, much more sympathetic.
But audiences may be surprised at Leah’s final behaviour, making contact with Tom again, wanting to team up with him. If this has been the past and the present, what will the future be like?
- Striking title? Life in California? Prospects?
- The American town, summer vacation, homes, buyers, motels, the beach? Musical score?
- Lea’s story, at home with her mother, clashes with her mother, rude to her mother, her mother’s boyfriends, taunting her? The absent father? Age 17? The summer, not doing the reading, hanging out, her friends, Amber as her best friend, confidences, sharing, giggling…? The blunt sexual encounter with Patrick, the aftermath? In the diner, the boys’ talk, leaving, not paying, the pursuit?
- The encounter with Tom, cruising after her, talking, offering her a lift, pleasant, charming, age 34, exchanging numbers, her being noticed, flattered, communicating with Tom, going out, watching the sunset, sitting on the car, talk, his asking for a kiss, her confiding in Amber, secrecy, Amber telling Patrick, the group’s reactions, Lea and her anger with Amber?
- Going home with Tom, his explanations about his life, his father, jobs, independence, complete freedom, temporary home at the motel, the noisy friend upstairs, the sexual encounter and the effect on Lea? Staying with Tom? Going to the beach, talking?
- Tom inviting her to leave, going to the motel, the sexual encounter, the realisation that Tom had been grooming her, trying to persuade her to service his friend? Her reaction, refusal, tears, the friend arriving, talk, the encounter, her reaction, talking with Tom and his thanking her, her running away, phoning Amber to pick her up, going home?
- A better response to her mother, going to work with her, cleaning the windows?
- The visit to Tom’s motel room, the talk with the woman upstairs, the phone call, and her talking to Tom, wanting to meet him again?
- Relationship of a man of 34 with the girl of 17, the law, exploitation? Suspicions about Tom, unmarried, free? Pursuing Lea? The realisation of the grooming? And audience response to Leo getting in touch with him again – and the future?
