A COOL DRY PLACE

US, 1999, 97 minutes, Colour.
Vince Vaughn, Monica Potter, Joey Lauren Adams, Bobby Moat, Devon Sawa.
Directed by John N. Smith.

A Cool Dry Place is a little-known film. It is reminiscent of Kramer vs Kramer from twenty years earlier: a woman walks out on her family, leaving her young son to be looked after by his father; she later returns to claim the son. It is the kind of film where audiences’ emotions are torn between the role of the father and the role of the mother and who should care for the son and who does it best.

Vince Vaughn is at his best in the role of the lawyer become single father. He had appeared in Swingers and had made such a success of his character that he was employed in The Lost World, and in the remake of Psycho. Later he was to appear in more comic roles, Be Cool and, especially effective, in Mr & Mrs Smith as well as Dodge Ball.

Monica Potter plays the mother and Joey Lauren Adams a vet who befriends the lawyer. The small boy, Bobby Moat, is especially effective as the son. He is quite unlike most of the children in popular American films, not so cute and sentimental (even though many will still find him cute). Devon Sawa (Final Destination) plays Adams’ brother, a spoilt basketball high school student.

The film was directed by John N. Smith who was famous for directing the films about sexual abuse in Canada, The Boys of St Vincent.

This is quiet an effective and affecting film, helpful for discussions about the role of single parents and, especially, the role of fathers looking after young sons and the repercussions for their careers and personal choices.

1. A humane film, strong? Modest in scope? Emotional? The focus on family and relationships?

2. The Kramer vs Kramer tradition, audiences and their sympathies, for father, child, mother? Changing sympathies or not? The possibility for the absentee parent and reconciliation and rehabilitation?

3. The country town, homes, school, the workplace for the vet, lawyers’ offices, diners? The contrast with Dallas? Musical score?

4. The title, Kate’s explanation at the end, Russell keeping Calvin safe – wrapped and in the refrigerator, a cool dry place?

5. Vince Vaughn and his career, his ability to carry this film, seriously and emotionally? The audience empathy for the young boy?

6. Russell, his life story, married, Kate saying she never really loved him, becoming a father, his hopes, the law? His love for Calvin? Kate going and not returning, the phone calls, his attitudes towards her, his care for Calvin? His being fired, taking the lower job? Finding life hard, settling into the town? Coaching the basketball team, Noah and the confrontation? Beth, the accident on the car, beginning again, the relationship? Kate and her return, his having to deal with this, falling in love with Beth? Decisions about the new job, the phone calls, going to Dallas? His plans, the phone call to his father, arrangements for Calvin, his return home, Kate abducting Calvin, his driving all night, with Calvin again, the final sequences and the decision that he makes about his life, his future? His confession that he resented Calvin for stopping him having his career?

7. Russell and Calvin, Calvin at five years, the details of daily life, domestic, coping, taking him to work, accidents, at home, his toys, the pillow, the gift of the man-o’-war, its stink, putting the deodorant in, Russell flushing it down the toilet, Calvin getting his arm stuck? Frightened by Beth, befriending her, her good manner with him, the horse-riding? His calling the man-o’-war Mum? Kate’s return, his hesitance, joy, sharing, her gifts, playing in the water? His hurt? His friendship with the little girl (and the ‘show me yours’ sequence)? His being taken away by Kate, the phone call, wanting his pillow, the return?

8. Beth, pleasant, the angry introduction, her work as a vet, the horse-riding, her relationship and charm with Calvin, the relationship with Russell, the story of her marriage and divorce? The phone call from Kate, her moving out, her strong decision, talking Frankly to Russell about the gift of Calvin and his being a happy child? A future?

9. Kate, audience lack of sympathy for her, the phone call, her return, with Calvin, playing, the gifts, her story about her being away? Her looking after Calvin, the possibility of reconciliation – and Russell’s hesitation, talking about not loving him? Her taking Calvin, her final admitting that she was unable to be a mother to him?

10. Russell, jobs, the initial interview, the work in the town, the later interview in Dallas, the apartment? His ringing his father? The talk with Beth, her telling him the truth about his success as a father? Driving all night to find Calvin?

11. The background characters, the lawyers, the difficult case, the questions at the diner, the woman crashing her car into the diner, the irony of her husband and his being in love with the waitress, the lawyer and his affair in the office with the woman? The possibility for Russell giving up the job?

12. The Noah story, at basketball practice, being late, emotional difficulties, his being told off, Beth making him apologise, Russell seeing him with his girlfriend, keeping it confidential, the match, his drinking, the crash with the girl, Russell getting him and taking him home?

13. A human story, credible – and the message about single parents?