Search found 1 match: Judy Davis

This is a movie that isn’t “Coming Soon” to a theatre near you. You won’t be seeing it at your local video store. You may not even see it available on Netflix. All of this is a shame, because anyone with an appreciation for the peculiarities- be they wonderful or unfortunate- of life should have a chance to see this film. It’s the second feature film written and directed by Amber Benson, the lovely and talented actor who gained a fanbase with her role as lesbian witch Tara on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” In 2002 she premiered her first feature as writer-director in her native Birmingham at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, and provided me the single most memorable moviegoing experience of my life, being able to watch her quirky dark comedy “Chance” with a theatre full of fans, then following it with an engaging and insightful Q & A session where she proved as easily personable as she appears in interviews and in her roles. When her production company made that wonderful film available on DVD, it was worth the larger-than-usual price to add it to my collection.

When you see as many films as I do a year, you tend to wonder why you don’t see certain actors- usually character actors- receive the attention they deserve. They’re usually people you see in independent films- not the ones that receive much publicity, mind you; the ones that may get a week in an art house theatre- if they’re lucky- before finding their way onto video shelves and Netflix searches. After her role on “Buffy,” general logic should’ve dictated that she find a niche in supporting roles either on another TV show or in movies both big and small, but her filmography- minus her own films- isn’t inspiring for fans; “Latter Days,” “Intermedio,” “Taboo”- hardly the type of films to make one see why her “Buffy” fans took to her; pre-”Buffy” roles in films ranging from great to good to OK to “blah” make the better case for her.

But her best cases have come from her own hand. “Chance” was a breath of fresh air, a wickedly witty comedy about a 20-something girl who sarcastically wades through life without really living it for herself- while chiding the way those around her do, particularly her kind of geeky friend and roommate Simon. Though populated by interesting supporting characters, it was very much a two-person show, with Benson and Marsters playing off each other with an ease and comfort to make you think they’ve been scene partners for years- though since both had been stealing scenes for years on “Buffy,” you can’t be too shocked with how well they worked together. It was a strong debut for Benson, who had already proved her creative diversity as a singer on the “Buffy” musical and as a writer on a couple of “Buffy” comics.

She spreads the wealth around more in “Lovers, Liars, and Lunatics,” and it pays off handsomely. While “Chance” had less of a structure to it, the film I kept going to in my head during “Lunatics” was “The Ref,” Ted Demme’s underappreciated Christmas black comedy classic with Denis Leary as a burglar who takes bickering couple Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis hostage on Christmas Eve when his plans go awry. Working within more of a formula, Benson nonetheless makes familiar territory feel new courtesy of insightful and character-driven writing as Gloria hires two bumbling, small-time burglars to steal thousands in cash from her piggish lover-boss Paddy, supposed to be out of town with his wife Elaine and two teen sons, sensitive Starbucks employee Julian and macho horndog Gunner. What is supposed to be an easy robbery turns into a hostage situation that puts the stress on both the hostages and the robbers supposed to be in charge.

Like “Chance,” “Lunatics” is very much a low-budget film. Actors working for peanuts, sets at a minimum, with production values more minimalist because the money isn’t quite there. But here’s the thing- once the story gets going, you’ll barely notice. Amber knows her away around a set as a director, understanding that everything goes towards telling the story as best as she can. On the technical side, she gets help from cinematographer Jakobine Motz and composer Aaron Fruchtman, but it’s her sure hand as a writer-director at setting the tone of the picture that makes it work. She does make one misstep at the end- in my opinion- in not resolving what happened to one of the characters, but before that Amber tells a delightfully silly and unpredictable story.

In both of her films, Amber writes characters with quirks that help to reveal them, but she doesn’t necessarily play off of them for laughs. Instead, the laughs come from a combination of situation and sly dialogue playing to the actor’s strengths in how they play the characters. All of the actors find just the right note in their performances- though as two cops who happen across the situation, James C. Leary and Rayder Woods are maybe a bit too comically-inclined in their roles- from the biggest roles to the smallest roles. But Benson puts ego aside and steps out of the starring role, giving the richest role to Estabrook, who runs with it in a standout performance I would rank with the year’s best. She provides the film’s heart as a wife betrayed by her husband, whose infidelity she’s known about but is just now doing something about, and whose unconditional love goes not just to her sweeter son Julian but also to the more sarcastic and independent-minded Gunner. Benson isn’t afraid to walk the rope with sly sexual humor with the character, either, in some of her scenes with Louis, and Estabrook- who played Benson’s mother in “Chance”- isn’t afraid to play them up both for comic effect and- dare I say?- sensual effect, making them feel palpable. For a film called “Lovers, Liars, and Lunatics,” it’s important for the characters that embody some- if not all- of them. Estabrook’s Elaine embodies all three of them with an ease we’re accustomed to from bigger named actresses. From a filmmaker like Amber Benson who is- with her two feature films as writer-director- beginning to forge a career that keeps audiences and fans on their toes, it’s a credit to her that that same spirit can be brought front and center in an actress’ performance that isn’t the one behind the camera. After this film and “Chance,” Amber Benson is proving herself a valuable and original comedy filmmaker- I compared her to an early Woody Allen with the foul-mouth of Kevin Smith in my review of “Chance.” “Lovers, Liars, and Lunatics” is an effort that further solidifies that statement. When’s Hollywood gonna catch on?