SURRENDER, DOROTHY

US, 2006, 90 minutes, Colour.
Diane Keaton, Tom Everett Scott, Alexa Davalos, Lauren German, Josh Hopkins, Chris Pine, Peter Riegert.
Directed by Charles Mc Dougall.

Surrender, Dorothy is a telemovie about death and grieving. Alexa Davalos (Feast of Love) plays Sara who is killed in an accident. Her best friend, a gay playwright, played by Tom Everett Scott, is grieved as is her mother, Diane Keaton. This is a Diane Keaton performance with all stops out – Annie Hall after thirty years and the somewhat screeching emotional mother of such films as The Family Stone and, especially, Because I Said So.

The film has a strong supporting cast of friends of the young woman who died as well as Peter Riegert as a theatre entrepreneur.

The film is very American in style, the characters not so interesting – and grief for Sara overshadowed by the tantrums of Diane Keaton as her mother.

The film was directed by Charles Mc Dougall who directed a number of television series including Desperate Housewives, The Tudors, The Office.

1.The impact of this kind of drama? Death and grief? For American audiences? Non-Americans? Sentiment?

2.The settings, the young people and their lives, the contrast with Natalie and her life? The holiday house, the beach? Activities on holidays? The musical score?

3.The title, The Wizard of Oz, the key word between mother and daughter, their phone calls?

4.Sara and Adam, their friendship, discussions, driving, her recklessness, his caution? The outing with the ice cream, the lady with the beard, the song (and Natalie questioning her afterwards and getting a satisfying answer)? The driving, the affection, the crash, Sara’s death, Adam surviving, his grief?

5.Adam, his friends, Shawn and his partnership, would-be actor? Emotional? Maddy and Peter, their love, the child? The holiday together? The detailed interaction of the young people? Their helping Adam in his grief?

6.Natalie, mother, phone calls, emotional? Her relationship with Peter? Her grief at her daughter’s death – hearing it in the car, her reckless driving? Almost being killed? Her decision to come to stay with the people? Antagonism towards them, especially Adam? Wanting to know more about Sara?

7.Natalie as a character, emotions, age, love for her daughter? The various rituals of grief? The carefree, Annie Hall type behaviour? The night out, her dressing up in her daughter’s dress? Flirting? Her meeting Mel, the attraction? The New Age rituals, the Buddhist rituals? Her being involved? Adam and his scepticism?

8.Peter, the relationship with Sarah, the discussions with Natalie, Sara’s pregnancy, Peter assuming Natalie knew? The news, the fact that Adam accompanied her to the abortionist? Her needs?

9.Maddy, her jealousy, the relationship with Peter, suspicions of Sara, of Natalie?

10.Mel, the entrepreneur, his relationship with Adam and the putting on of the plays? Shawn and his putting the photo on the windscreen? Adam’s reaction?

11.The gradual breaking down of barriers? Natalie overcoming her immediate reactions? Adam becoming calmer? The discussions between them all?

12.The resolution of the grief, of the drama? A future and Natalie’s relationship with this group?