DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE
US, 2001, 92 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Vince Vaughn, Teri Polo, Matt O’ Leary, Reuben Santiago Hudson, Susan Floyd, Steve Buscemi.
Directed by Harold Becker.
Domestic Disturbance is an entertaining thriller, not particularly memorable, but effective while it is on-screen.
It is a star vehicle for John Travolta, appearing as a boat builder, with a special bond to his son (Matt O’ Leary – Frailty, Havoc). When his ex-wife (Teri Polo) marries a successful businessman, played by Vince Vaughn, there is tension between the boy and his parents.
It soon emerges, for the audience, that there is something suspicious about Vince Vaughn’s character, especially when a criminal associate, played effectively by Steve Buscemi, turns up for the wedding. The boy then is a witness to a murder, is not believed by the police, is threatened by his stepfather, the whole thing building up to a melodramatic climax.
Vince Vaughn, who can be very good at comedy (The Wedding Crashers), is very good menacing and a villain. Steve Buscemi is also very good in his cameo role as the criminal associate.
The film is directed by Harold Becker who directed The Ragman’s Daughter in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. However, all his films subsequently were made in his native United States including the adaptation of Joseph Wambaugh stories, The Onion Field and The Black Marble. He also directed Taps, Sea of Love, Malice with Nicole Kidman, City Hall with Al Pacino, Mercury Rising. He has two films planned with Al Pacino, a remake of Rififi as well as a story about Ruth Etting (the subject of Love Me or Leave Me with Doris Day and James Cagney).
1. Interesting domestic drama? Crime thriller? How well did the two elements combine?
2. The small town setting, the boat-building area, the factories, homes? Authentic? Police stations? The action at night? The musical score?
3. The title, audience expectations, the focus on the family and its break-up, the remarriage, the stepfather and his sinister behaviour towards his stepson? Violence?
4. Frank Morrison, as a character, his clashes with Susan? Their separation? Amicable? His relationship with Danny? Danny going to him in times of trouble? The arrival of Rick, Frank’s dislike of him? Accepting him? Ridiculing him with Danny but going to the wedding? The encounter with Ray at the wedding? Conversation – leading to further suspicions? Danny and the news of his mother’s pregnancy? His clash with his mother, wanting to go to his father, hiding in Rick’s car, Ray seeing him but being murdered, his escape? His going to his father, to the police – and their not believing his story? Rick and his mother coming? Rick and his sense of menace? His threats? The menace within the house, Danny trying to give the wallet to his father and warn him? Rick and his demands? The court case, Danny changing his mind, wanting to go with his mother and Rick? The pregnancy? The television news about the boat building going up in flames? His going to his father? The final confrontation with Rick? Rick’s death? His menacing Susan and Danny in the garage? His emerging unscathed, with his father and mother?
5. Danny, as a young boy, relationship with his father, his father’s being by himself, the tradition of boat-building, Danny wanting to be with his father? Explaining the story, his father not believing him, later believing it? Frank and his own investigations? His relationship with Diane, her support, her not wanting to be in the middle of the domestic squabble? His researches, the motels, the internet, finding out about Ray, going to visit the prostitute, the information, the sports support, identifying him? The information about his criminal record – and Rick’s photo? Rick discovering this? Rick having to act against Frank?
6. Susan, the clashes with Frank, love for her son, remarriage, pregnancy, her trying to keep the relationship with Danny, the shock of his story? Her coming into the house, after the news of the fire, seeing that Rick was burnt? Being terrorised, the loss of the child?
7. The police, listening to Danny, not believing him? Frank demanding an apology at the end?
8. Ray, sleazy, talk at the wedding, in the motel, with the prostitutes, putting the pressure on Rick, the money, seeing Frank around the town, saying he was deciding to stay, the phone calls, Rick taking him in the car, their discussion – and Rick stabbing him? Burning him in the furnace?
9. The combination of the ingredients of a murder mystery, crime thriller, with domestic break-up and domestic disturbance?
