BREATHE IN: Drake Doremus tackles infidelity & intergenerational sex among the 40-somethings

Up to now TrustMovies has thought of indie filmmaker Drake Doremus (Spooner, Douchebag, Like Crazy) as someone very good at cataloging the doings of the younger set. Though that description may still fit the filmmaker best, his newest movie, BREATHE IN, harks back to those melodramas of the 40s, 50 and 60s in which an older man becomes smitten with a younger woman and may easily throw away his family in pursuit of the new "thrill."

For better or worse Doremus (shown at left) approaches this as though it were not one of the oldest stories in the book but rather something fresh, new and exciting. And because it is music and the love of same that brings our pair together, for a time the co-writer (with Ben York Jones) and director almost makes us believe it, too. He is helped greatly by his gifted cast, most especially Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones (on poster above, and below) in the leading roles, Amy Ryan (below, left, as Pearce's long-suffering, cookie-jar-loving wife) and Mackenzie Davis (in the penultimate photo) as the couple's ill-used child.

Mr. Pearce, as pater familias Keith, has the ability, in film after film after film, to seem to enter each character from the inside, changing his looks, emotional register, body language -- the works -- as befits the person at hand. He does it again here, and his role will not remind you of much else that Pearce has given us. Ms. Jones, whom Doremus used so well in Like Crazy, is equally fine, turning her character, Sophie, into someone young and needy but caring and intelligent, too. It's music and their great love of it that unites the two, and this is something that Keith can't really share with wife or daughter.

There a lovely scene of "introduction," as Sophie visits Keith's class and he asks her to play something for them. And we see several scenes of Keith as he performs in the local orchestra (there's constant tension between his two careers as teacher and musician). The affair, once it starts, seem less all-out sexual than it is a binding of two like souls. But of course it is hugely damaging to the family dynamics. And it is here that the movie shortchanges its characters -- and us. Coincidence plays far too heavy a hand in things, melodrama takes over, and the resolution is rushed and unfulfilling.

Doremus remains very good at feretting out the moments that count, however, particularly as the relationship between Keith and Sophie grows. But the story he's chosen to tell is such an old one, so tried-and-true, that, despite fine performances all around, without more meat on its bones, Breathe In (the title comes from an exercise Sophie gives Keith to relieve his stress) simply delivers another cautionary tale of which we've seen far too many previously, and many of them better that this.

The movie, form Cohen Media Group and running 98 minutes, opens this Friday, March 28, in New York City at the AMC Empire 25 and Village VII, and the Bowtie Chelsea Cinema, and in the Los Angeles area at Laemmle's Royal, Playhouse 7 and Town Center 5 on Friday, April 4.

The photos above are from the film itself, with the exception 

of that of Mr. Doremus, which is by Chelsea Lauren, 

and is used courtesy of Getty Images.

DVDebut: Drake Doremus' SPOONER sports first-class perfs from Lillard and Zehetner

Having been a big fan of actor Matthew Lillard (ever since Serial Mom, Hackers and the original Scream) and director Drake Doremus (since last year's interesting Douchebag), I approached SPOONER, the 2008 collaboration of these two, with both expectation and trepidation.  No theatrical release, though it played a bunch of U.S. festivals during  2009 (picking up some awards and fans en route), the film has now gone straight to video, where, if history be any guide, it may languish unheralded. Don't let this happen: watch, please, and herald.

The movie is a small one, delicate and a little odd -- thanks to its main character, Spooner, who seems, well, socially challenged, if not slightly "slow." As played by Mr. Lillard (above), in what is hands-down the best role of his career so far, Spooner is so sad and likable: a big, vulnerable, hulky (and, yes, hunky) kid, whom the actor imbues with such genuineness and truth that you are in his corner from first moment onwards.

You worry that he may be more than just socially inept, and so may not be the possible mate for the girl he comes quickly but believeably to care for. As played by Lillard's acting equal in every way, Norah Zehetner (above), the pair meet sweet (but not cute) and begin an odd relationship that seems just possible -- thanks to these two actors' ability to connect and get some quirky chemistry going despite some misgivings on both their own and our part. Ms Zehetner is so adorable-without-pushing-it that, were there any justice, she would be this country's Audrey Tatou.

Based on a story by Doremus, Jonathan Schwartz and Lindsay Stidham (with the screenplay by Ms Stidham), the dialog is efficient and sometimes quite good -- between the two leads, between Spooner and his parents (very well played by Christopher McDonald, below, right, and Kate Burton, below, left), and between Spooner and his boss (a nasty used-car maven brought to skeevey life by Shea Whigham, above).

Occasionally, the director gives us a lovely visual composition (as below), but generally Doremus' direction is as un-pushy as the script calls for, leaving things clear for his capable cast to do its job.

 Which they do. And nobody -- not screenwriter, director, or actors -- take anything a step farther than it needs to go.  You worry that someone will, but no: the finale is as lovely and real as all the rest, and you finish this short, sweet film on a cloud of good will.

Spooner, from Maya Entertainment (running time 83 minutes), made its DVD debut this past week and is available for sale or rental via the usual suspects.

Drake Doremus' DOUCHEBAG -- ah, alliteration! -- is energetic, intelligent fun. Plus a Q&A with the filmmaker

Can you resist a movie that bills itself as a "Super Crispy Entertainment Production"?  I couldn't, though I admit to having a misgiving or two along the way. DOUCHEBAG, the new film from Drake Doremus, starts out reminding one of the recent The Freebie in its use of a camera view so immediate and intimate that it seems to put us up close and personal -- in fact, in bed with -- the protagonists. As the film moves along, we may think back to certain others such as The Overbrook Brothers and Lovers of Hate, among a number of mumblecore-ish movies that spring immediately to mind.

Yet Douchebag is not mumblecore. Not in my view anyway. One of the things that best describes an m-core movie is that its participants so often seem adrift, barely knowing what they want, or need, or are even doing a good deal of the time.  That's not the case here. The characters created by Doremus, with help from his actor/co-writer Andrew Dickler and actor/co-producer Ben York Jones (shown below, with Mr. Jones at left) are, if anything, a little too sure of themselves. There's no drifting here.

These people are active-positive (sometimes active-negative), and so full of energy they practically compel us to go along with them. (At times -- the kite-flying scene on the beach -- the film has a near-documentary quality that probably means many of its scenes were improvised -- but well.) Conversations often lead to action: Talk of figure-skating bounces on to love and from there to inviting a very old flame (5th grade, anyone?) as a date to the upcoming wedding.

At this point the movie becomes a freak road trip, the reason for which does defy credibility, so I wish Mr. Doremus had better headed off our objections.  Once on our way, however, there is so much fun to be had and interesting new characters to meet that I think you'll be happy to tag along.  (The scene with Nicole Vicius in a skating rink is simply magical -- and then suddenly, quite sensible)  Dickler and Jones make a fine set of sparring brothers, while the always-engaging Marguerite Moreau (shown above, right, who was so compelling in the recent Easier With Practice) -- direct and utterly real -- helps ground this short, 72-minute movie.  Good music is provided by, among others, the Goddamn Electric Bill, and there's also some nifty artwork (the Jones character is an artist) from Christopher Baier.

Douchebag, from Paladin, open today, October 1, in New York City at the Village East Cinemas, in Los Angeles on October 8 at the NuArt Theater, and elsewhere around the country in the weeks to come.  Click here for a listing of cities and theaters.

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At the chance to speak with this filmmaker, shown at left, TrustMovies jumped but, due to a time mix-up, it was not to be. Instead we emailed back and forth and came up with the following. (Normally I would retype Mr. Doremus' answers -- which came back to me in CAPITAL LETTERS -- into upper and lower case, but today's time constraints prevent this. (Plus, TrustMovies is such a lousy typist that he would make many mistakes, only some of which, if history be a guide, would he then catch and correct.)  So, in the below interview, TM remains in upper and lower case, while Drake Doremus appears in ALL CAPS:

So, Drake --how old are you?  Seeing this movie, by the way, really makes me want to see your earlier Spooner, so I will stick that one in my Netflix queue – if NF has it.)

THANKS MAN, SPOONER SHOULD BE OUT SOMETIME IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE. I AM 27 YEARS OLD. WE JUST SHOT A NEW MOVIE, TOO, THIS YEAR CALLED ''LIKE CRAZY'' STARRING FELICITY JONES, JENNIFER LAWRENCE AND ANTON YELCHIN. SHOULD BE DONE FOR NEXT YEAR AT SOME POINT. AS LONG AS THE IDEAS ARE THERE, A MOVIE A YEAR IS THE GOAL.

A Super Crispy Entertainment Production: Great name. Sort of describes the feeling your film has. Where did that name come from?

HAHAHA. THAT'S THE WONDERFUL NAME OF MY PRODUCER JONATHAN SCHWARTZ'S COMPANY. I BELIEVE IT JUST POPPED INTO HIS HEAD ONE DAY AND HE WENT WITH IT. HE'S AN AMAZING PRODUCER. HE PRODUCED ALL THREE OF MY FILMS AND WITHOUT HIM NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. HE'S A HERO IN MANY WAYS.

My companion mentioned the word Mumblecore – which he generally hates (I think it must have appeared somewhere on the press release or info for the movie?) But your film did not really seem like most Mumblecore movies. It’s more energized, specific and direct regarding in the characters’ intentions. M’core people seem to diddle and wander and to be adrift somewhat. Not yours. Want to talk about this?

THANKS MAN I APPRECIATE IT. ENERGIZED IS A GREAT WORD AND THAT'S COOL THAT YOU FELT THAT WAY. SURE. I NEVER REALLY SAW THE FILM AS MUMBLECORE BUT I UNDERSTAND THE COMPARISONS. I APPRECIATE THE GENRE FOR WHAT IT IS BUT I FEEL LIKE DOUCHEBAG IS A MORE FANTASTICAL JOURNEY THAN MOST FILMS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT GENRE.

There is such immediacy to the proceedings! The energy level is really high—without being off the charts. Is this something you wanted going in, or did the actors provide it on their own?

I HATE IT IN MOVIES WHERE IT TAKES TOO LONG FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN OR MOMENTUM TO BUILD. I THINK IF YOU'RE NOT HOOKED IN THE FIRST 15 MINUTES TO GO ON A JOURNEY WITH THE CHARACTERS YOU NEVER WILL BE, SO YES THAT WAS ALWAYS THE INTENTION IN THE RHYTHM OF THE FILM. I WANT ALL OF MY MOVIES TO BE SHORT AND I LOVE IT WHEN WE GET GOING QUICKER THAN LATER. THE WONDERFUL BEN YORK JONES AND ANDREW DICKLER BROUGHT THAT ENERGY EVERYDAY, TOO.

How much of the dialog was improvised, how much written?

I'D SAY ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE DIALOG WAS IMPROVISED AND THE REST WRITTEN. WE HAD A 30 PAGE OUTLINE WITH REALLY SPECIFIC BEATS TO HIT AND THE WONDERFULLY TALENTED WRITER LINDSAY STIDHAM PENNED A BUNCH OF LINES, TOO, THAT ARE IN THE FILM.

One caveat that I have: Not immediately bringing up the possibility of Mary’s being married-with-kids (or something) seems a little too dense. I know you needed to get the guys out of there, plot-wise, but I wish you could have found a way around the viewer’s objection to this kind of non-believability == because so much of your movie really is believable.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. FOR ME THOSE TWO GUYS ARE PRETTY DENSE IN SOME SOCIAL WAYS FOR SURE AND I THINK THE FACT THAT NEITHER OF THEM BRINGS IT UP OR MANY OTHER LOGICAL THINGS DURING THIER JOURNEY JUST ADDS TO THE FANTASTICAL ELEMENT I SPOKE OF BEFORE.

How’d you get Marguerite Moreau? She’s so good: Direct, simple, direct, real and involved! She grounds the movie.

YES, I LOVE MARGUERITE AND MAN, DOES SHE ALWAYS BRING IT EVERYDAY THAT SHE'S ON SET! I HAD MET HER ON ANOTHER MOVIE AND IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF HER TO PLAY STEPH WHEN WE STARTED CASTING. THAT'S FUNNY YOU USE THE WORD GROUNDED BECAUSE THAT WAS ALWAYS THE INTENTION WITH HER AND I USED THAT WORD A LOT WITH HER. SAM AND TOM CAN BE VERY SILLY AND OUTLANDISH AT TIMES SO I FELT IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE HER AS THE VOICE OF REASON THROUGHOUT THE FILM. I ALSO GREW UP WATCHING THE MIGHTY DUCKS AND GREW UP A BIG DUCKS FAN IN ORANGE COUNTY SO I GUESS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND I ALWAYS LOVED HER AND IT WAS VERY VERY COOL TO GET TO WORK WITH HER.

Nicole Vicius is also great. That one little scene just lights up the movie in a certain odd way. She is so open and direct and charming. The viewer is definitely sorry that Tom won’t end up with her – whether she’s the real Mary or not.

YEAH, NICOLE I ALSO MET ON ANOTHER FILM AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER AS AN ACTRESS THE MOMENT I SAW HER IN HALF NELSON. SHE'S NEVER HIDING ANYTHING ON SCREEN. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET WITH HER AND THAT SECTION IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES FOR SURE.

Christopher Baier did the art for the end credits? Really good. How did this come about?

CHRIS IS ONE OF BEN YORK JONES' BEST FRIENDS AND ONCE WE KNEW TOM WAS GOING TO BE A PAINTER HIS NAME CAME TO MIND VERY QUICKLY. HE IS AN INCREDIBLE ARTIST AND LIVENS UP THE MOVIE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MORE OF HIS WORK HERE.

Great music, too. Goddammed Electric Bill -- never heard of ‘em -- but good!  Friends of yours?

YES, BEST FRIENDS, ACTUALLY. I ALWAYS KNEW I WANTED JASON TORBERT AND CASEY IMMOOR'S MUSIC IN THE FILM. I HAD NEVER REALLY SEEN A FILM IN THIS VEIN WITH THIS TYPE OF ELECTRONIC SCORE BEFORE, SO I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT MUSICALLY HERE THAT STILL HIT EMOTIONALLY THE WAY IT NEEDED TO IN THE FILM. YOU CAN FIND MOST OF THE MUSIC IN THE FILM ON ITUNES AND HERE OR HERE.

Anything else you want to say? Here’s your chance.

DON'T TEMPT ME; I COULD TALK FOR HOURS.
WELL, JUST THAT THE FILM OPENS IN NEW YORK THIS FRIDAY OCTOBER 1ST AND IN LOS ANGELES ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 8TH, AND THEN IN ABOUT 10 SELECTED CITIES AFTER THAT. BEN, ANDREW AND I WILL BE DOING Q AND A'S MOST OPENING NIGHT WEEKENDS AND WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOUR READERS COME OUT AND HOPEFULLY ENJOY THE FILM AND HANG OUT AFTERWARDS AND TALK FILM. SO PLEASE, COME ON OUT AND HAVE A BLAST WITH US. SEE YOU GUYS AT THE THEATER.  CHEERS!  --DRAKE