THE CHUMSCRUBBER
US, 2005, 108 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Bell, Camilla Belle, Justin Chatwin, Rory Culkin, Thomas Curtis, Lou Taylor Pucci, Glenn Close, William Fichtner, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, John Heard, Lauren Holly, Jason Isaacs, Alison Janney, Carrie- Anne Moss, Rita Wilson.
Directed by Arie Posin.
The Chumscrubber is the name of a character in a computer game. Images of the chumscrubber sometimes appear in the background of this film. What the title seems to suggest is that teenagers today seem to be trapped in the seeming computer games which are their lives.
This is a rather black, though bright colourful, satire on dysfunctional families and suburban American life. During the credits we watch some animation, little box houses which become real, postcard-like, in what is advertised as an ideal neighbourhood for comfort and safety. It is Anywhere USA. Within a few minutes, we discover that a young boy has hanged himself. The film goes on from there.
The central character is Dean. He is played very well and with some inner intensity by Billy Elliot’s Jamie Bell. Bell has specialised in this kind of alienated role both in the UK and in the US (Dear Wendy, Undertow, Hallam Foe). His mother is played in a well-wishing but absent-minded way by Allison Janney, his self-absorbed psychologist author husband by William Fichtner. The mother of the hanged boy is played by Glenn Close as if she were one of the Stepford Wives.
This satirical portrait of the adult generation is compounded by the mother of a boy who is kidnapped by the local teenage drug-dealers who want to get their hands on the stash the dead boy had and pressurise Dean who was the dead boy’s best friend. They think they have taken Dean’s brother but have taken another boy with the same name – who goes along for the ride while his mother (Rita Wilson) is so busy preparing for her second wedding that she does not notice her son is missing. She is divorced from the local police chief (John Heard) and is about to marry the mayor who seems to be in a perpetual daze (Ralph Fiennes). He is in turn admired by the mother of one of the kidnappers (Carrie Anne Moss).
As can be seen, the cast is very strong indeed, with teenagers Camilla Belle, Justin Chatwin, Lou Taylor Pucci and Rory Culkin in there as well.
In trying to indicate the mood of the film, critics have been scrambling for comparisons – which are worth referring to so that audiences have an idea of where they stand and what they are in for. Someone referred to Donnie Darko (though it is not quite so bizarre). Someone else said that it is like David Lynch in sunshine (though it is not quite so obscure). I rather liked the publicity material’s claim that it is thematically provocative. Part funny, part absurd, part surreal, more than part serious, it is an oddball questioning and critical view of America.
1.The film as a piece of Americana? The range of characters? Adults and children? Dysfunctional family, dysfunctional society? Death, suicide, repercussions?
2.The title, the computer game, the dead boy, Dean and his fantasies and dreams? The explanation of the computer game?
3.The artificial American town, the layout of the streets, the houses? Life, homes, school, shops, real estate? The mayor? Yet the dark side of families, separation, infidelities, drugs, suicide, abductions?
4.The blend of the serious and comic style? Heightened reality? Stylised? The musical score?
5.Dean as the central character, Jamie Bell and his interpretation? Seeing him within his family, the tensions, his room, possessions, posters, going out, going next door to see Troy, the party, greeting Troy’s mother, discovering Troy hanged? The background of the glimpses of school, the comments on the drug dealing in the school, Troy and his clients? Dean’s grief, inability to share it with Troy’s mother, with his family? Dean at school, his being bullied? His relationship with his staff? The encounter with Crystal, with Lee and Billy? Their bullying? The pressure on finding the drugs? His going into Troy’s room, finding the drugs? Troy’s mother and wanting some kind of understanding? Lee and Billy, putting the pressure on Dean, deciding to abduct his brother, abducting the wrong boy? The reaction of the abducted boy? Dean’s reaction? The drugs at home, his younger brother experimenting with them, switching with them, putting them in the casserole? Dean’s father, his publications, his theories, his concern about his son, persuading him to take the pills, the different confrontations and the further pills? The effect on Dean’s consciousness, on his psyche? The build-up to the fight with Billy? The police intervention, not believing him? His finally realising that the abducted boy was the police officer’s son? The effect of the pills on him, his dreams, Troy haunting him, the video game? The relationship with Crystal, having lunch outside the school? Her coming to get his help? The confrontation with Lee and Billy? The final meeting with Troy’s mother, his offer of sympathy? His future? A glimpse of a disturbed young character – but with potential for good?
6.Dean’s parents, his mother and her decisions, the father and his psychiatry, his books, his puffed-up importance, his tours? Giving the drugs to his son? Going to the police? The mother, her being passive, the television, her younger son? Making the casseroles, giving them to Troy’s mother? Preparing the food for the party? Her being spaced out at times? Not realising what was going on? The tension with her husband?
7.Troy’s mother, unaware of what her son was doing, his death, her grief, her work in the garden, her flowers? The party, the drugs in the casserole? The various guests? Dean and his being able to speak to her, give her some consolation in her grief?
8.The mayor, genial, with Terri? The planned marriage? Pleasant but out of it? The nature of the engagement, the preparation for the wedding? The flashback to the accident and its effect? His meeting Jerri, attracted? The painting of the blue dolphins everywhere in the house, Terri’s reaction? The marriage not going ahead? His binding with Jerri?
9.Terri, the estate agent, continually busy, continually on the phone? Her engagement to the mayor? The encounters with her husband, the clashes in the street? Her lack of relationship with her son, not even noticing that he was absent? The focus on the preparations for the marriage, the dress, the discussions with the shop owner, the timetable? The build-up after the dolphins being on the display house?
10.Mr and Mrs Parker, their attitude towards their son, their relationship, the satiric touch on out-of-touch parents?
11.Officer Bratley, his role with the police, stalking his ex-wife, the arguments? The meeting with Dean, questioning him? The final realisation that his son was abducted? The portrait of the boy, his playing on the susceptibilities of his captors? Wanting his own way – and enjoying the abduction? The final dangers and the possibility of his being killed?
12.Jerri, her role as a mother, not understanding her son? Unaware of his activities? The encounter with the mayor, helping him – and the future marriage?
13.Billy, tough, wanting the drugs, pressurising Dean? With Lee, bossing him about? The abducting of the boy, holding him over the night, caring for him, exasperation? The knife, the fight, his being wounded in the eye? His being hit by the car?
14.Lee, his bravado, parents, with Billy, his cowardliness, Billy trying to make him do the violent work? The finale and his opting out?
15.Crystal, her relationship Billy and Lee, with Dean, at school, the go-between, getting Dean’s help for the boy?
16.A portrait of American suburbia? An alternate to American Beauty?
