FATHER OF INVENTION
US, 2010, 96 minutes, Colour.
Kevin Spacey, Camilla Belle, Johnny Knoxville, Heather Graham, Virginia Madsen, Craig Robinson.
Directed by Trent Cooper.
A generally genial tongue-in-cheek satiric comedy except when the audience finally gets the sniffles during a sentimental, heartfelt speech and reconciliation as the film ends.
Kevin Spacey has done some offbeat films while he has been absorbed by directing the Old Vic Company in London. Shrink was unengagingly eccentric. Father of Invention, however, is quite engagingly eccentric.
It benefits immediately from a full-on opening as Kevin Spacey as Bob Axle, a master of infommercials bursts on to the screen with his spiels – he is funny as an over-the-top enthusiastic salesman. Professionally, he is a 'fabricator' (not an inventor) who brings unlikely ideas together, like a spray can which also photographs an assailant.
But, careless users of a machine for exercising while watching TV and changing channels, lose fingers and he is jailed for a depraved carelessness concerning his customers. His wife (Virginia Madsen) has received half his large fortune. The victims were awarded the rest.
Eight years later, he is out, mistaken for a vagrant. He is unwelcome at his own house where his wife has a new husband (Craig Robinson) who is an admirer of Axle's enterprises. His daughter (Camilla Belle) runs a centre for women's employment. She does let her father stay for a month on trial. One roommate (Anna Assimova) is sympathetic. The other (Heather Graham), who considers herself a lesbian gym teacher, is not. Within days, Bob Axle loses his job at Family Mart, managed by the by-the-book, Troy (Johnny Knoxville).
However...
Fate allows Axle another chance, another 'fabrication', despite his sometimes thoughtless and stupid actions. Which eventually leads to the aforementioned sniffles happy ending.
Spacey is very adept at creating characters and he brings verve, energy and comic timing to this one.
Postscript: during the final credits, not to be missed, Virginia Madsen and Craig Robinson are at a piano singing (?) a mesmerisingly awful song completely off-key. And, for the fun of it, they wrote the song too.
1.Comic, satiric, sentimental? Two American cities, homes and mansions, centres, shops? The score – and the final song?
2.The blend of reality and fantasy? The American dream? Its collapse? Dreaming it again? The sitcom situations, the serious tone, the emotional response?
3.The title, the meaning of invention, the difference from discovery? Bob Axle and his definition of fabrication? Putting two diverse things together and creating a third?
4.The introduction to Bob Axle, Kevin Spacey’s performance, upfront, the explanation of fabrication, the infomercials, his verve? A salesman? The dinosaur, the camera with the spray, the exercise machine and the television? His bravado? The collage of accidents and people losing their fingers?
5.The passing of ten years, eight years in prison, his look, long hair, beard, glum? His being depressed? Homeless? His carelessness about himself? Visiting Lorraine in the mansion, discovering Jerry and her marriage? Her refusal to give him any money, hostility? The car? Jerry and his niceness, the locker with Bob’s possessions? Looking at Claire working at the Centre, leaving, going to her house, her hesitation, letting him in, meeting Donna and Phoebe, going back to the shelter, Claire coming to rescue him? Giving him a time limit?
6.The parole visits, the parole officer and his giving advice? Working for Troy, Troy in the store, harsh attitude, Bob being late, going home, fixing the picture and its falling, arranging the fish tank and getting Phoebe’s anger? The accidents? Donna being nice, Phoebe hostile and cutting in her remarks?
7.Going to work, seeing the advertisements for Steve, his colleague and the fabrications? The water dripping, the lady crossing, Troy trying to save her, crashing, his leg in splints, firing Bob?
8.The benefit, his not being invited, Lorraine and her antipathy? His arrival, appearance, Lorraine and her reaction, Donna’s parents and their liking him? The dinosaur? His speech, thinking the Centre was for drug addicts being reformed, Claire upset, ousting him? The irony of Donna’s parents and their separating?
9.Steve, his being ousted? Going to the locker, finding the lucky picture drawn by Claire? The memories and flashbacks of Claire, the bike – his thinking it a bike but the gift was a horse? The dinosaur, the drawing and Claire’s approval? The idea, pitching it to Steve, Steve stealing it? Going to Sam, their talk, taking Donna’s money and giving Sam the cheque, the discussions about the loan and the bank, the eager manager and his own inventions – and the supervisor having lost a finger? Jerry and the information that all the money was gone? Lorraine spending it all?
10.Troy, the proposal of the idea, Troy agreeing, the meeting, high on medication, the new backer, Sheila as his wife and secretary? Sam and the prototype? Satisfied?
11.Donna, talking, lost wisdom and comforting her about the divorce? Then taking her money, her hostility?
12.Phoebe, her ex, going to see him, taking Bob, Bob kicking him? Their talking, the kiss, his stopping – and later explaining the reason, Claire? Going to her gym class, her bringing her friend home to the party, the invitation for Bob?
13.Six months passing, the readiness of the fabrication? Television, the crowd, his speech, breaking down, talking about parenting and his neglect? Claire hearing it? The drawing? The success of the fabrication, his being urged back, his preferring to walk with Claire?
14.Jerry and Lorraine, selling the mansion, one dollar to Claire for the house?
15.The happy ending, big business, the crowd, success? But family?
16.Lorraine and Jerry singing the song at the end, dreadfully off-key, mesmerising? The actors composing it themselves? A satiric tone after the sentiment?
