Blu-ray/DVDebut: WAKEFIELD -- Robin Swicord's take on the E. L. Doctorow story

The idea of WAKEFIELD -- both the movie (directed and adapted by Robin Swicord, shown below, from the short story by E.L.Doctorow) and the Doctorow story itself -- is such a strong and original one that I think it would be difficult for any intelligent middle-class reader or viewer not to be drawn in by it. A relatively successful corporate drone on his way home from work one evening encounters first a problem with his commuter train's inability to proceed (in the short story, it is the accidental uncoupling of the train car in which he is seated) and finally arrives in his town only to discover that an electrical blackout has occurred.

Once he reaches his house, instead of proceeding inside to greet his wife and daughters, without anyone noticing, he goes up and into the attic room located atop the garage across from the house. Why? Both film and short story make it clear that Howard Wakefield is an intelligent but unhappy man and not a very good or kind one, either (at least in the more conventional meaning of those words). His marriage is certainly in trouble, so perhaps he needs some time alone to figure it all out. Whatever: Howard decides to take that time, which stretches from mere hours into days, weeks and months alone in his little attic storeroom by day, while scavenging for food and other needs by night.

After viewing this film, which TrustMovies found interesting enough, certainly, but not as compelling as he had hoped it might be, he decided to read the short story (which you can find here). Doctorow's Wakefield takes less than half as long to read as does Ms Swicord's version (at 106 minutes) does to view. And while the character of Howard narrates both, because the movie's POV allows us to see what Howard sees, rather than simply hearing his words, our experience is now much broader and encompassing.

Some viewers might find this more interesting, if expected, but Swicord's version does two things that detract from the original: It takes you, to some rather large extent, out of the mind of Mr. Wakefield, while allowing you to form our own judgment of what he (and now you) see; and it absolutely softens Wakefield's character so that you can imagine that this man's time alone has perhaps helped him to change for the better. The story itself offers none of the latter. For instance, in Doctorow's original our guy refers to the Down Syndrome children next door as "retards." But, oh, my, not in the movie. The whole tone of Wakefield's narration in Doctorow's version is drier and more "entitled."

And while the ending of both story and movie is almost exactly the same, the movie offers, yes, quite a bit more possibility of hope. Perhaps this is simply the difference between Ms Swicord's reading of the original and my own. Certainly the performance of Bryan Cranston in the title role (shown, above, in his middle class mode and, below, in the gone-to-seed version) is exemplary, as this actor most often is.

Jennifer Garner (below and two photos up) also proves credible as the wife, but because what we see of her and all the others here comes from Howard's viewpoint, the movie remains pretty much a one-man show. To her credit, Swicord stays remarkably close to the original regarding the various incidents that pile up along the way. But Doctorow kept us closed into the mind of his man; Swicord lets us wander too much. Still, I'd have to recommend Wakefield, the movie, simply because the idea here is so fascinating, while the execution, if flawed, is at least good enough to carry us along. If you have the time, however, I'd highly recommend reading that original, too.

Released theatrically via IFC Films, the combo DVD and Blu-ray pack arrives on home video from Shout Factory this coming Tuesday, August 1 -- for purchase and/or rental.

DVD Pick: Rashid Masharawi's LAILA'S BIRTHDAY -- a sweet/comic/sad day with some Palestinians

A fine, small film that's likely to have slipped by you completely is LAILA'S BIRTHDAY from Palestinian writer/director Rashid Masharawi (shown below). Running but 70 minutes including credits, it's a short one but packed with telling moments that range from flat-out funny to moving, surprising and plain fascinating.

First of all, it's a surprise to see what looks very much like middle-class Palestinians on screen. We're so used to seeing the terrorist variety, or the poor and near-homeless, that it's a bit of a shock to realize that -- evidently -- some Palestinians in Israel live decently, despite their second-class-citizen status, and manage to make a "go" of things. Compared to most of the homes shown in Israeli films, the one belonging to this family looks quite lovely, furnished with taste and imagination.

The family in question consists of a cab driver husband (above, right) who used to be a judge in another country but has come back, upon request, with his family to serve Palestine (this fact is greeted all sorts of ways by the people, from passengers to those in government offices, that the cabbie encounters during his day's shift). The tone here is quietly comic and ironic, even when the events turn dark.

In one swell scene in a small cafe, customers rant against the Israeli military on the screen of the establishment's TV. Except... There's another doozey involving a donkey that will have you wondering if we've suddenly gone into the realm of fantasy. But no, it's all quite real. Which is Mr. Mashawari's point, I expect: Living under the rule of the "other" is seldom easy and makes for everything from small and large cruelties to the sublimely ridiculous.

Laila's Birthday never resorts to Israel-bashing. Instead it simply tells its little story about a father's desire to get his daughter a nice birthday present, and what happens when complications ensue. The father is played by awarding-winning actor Mohammed Bakri (above), his lovely wife by Areen Omari (below) and little Laila by Nour Zoubi (shown at bottom) in her film debut.  They're all fine but it's Mr. Bakri's movie -- his, and the many people of all types/classes
/levels of decency that he encounters throughout his day.

What the movie accomplishes, by never pushing its message but by simply showing us, is how like Israelis these people are. And how like so many of us westerners, too: in what we want and need and will do to get it.  At once exotic and exotic (you're not likely to find a donkey-and-cart on your local street), tender and tough, the film is among the most quietly eye-opening I have viewed in some time. I am grateful to have seen it, and I suspect you will be, too.

Laila's Birthday, distributed by Kino International, is available for purchase (Kino, Amazon, etc.) or rental (Netflix, Blockbuster and other video sources who offer international film).