Predisposed
Sundance viewing number three...
Roll Call: Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo, Tracy Morgan, Isiah Whitlock, Sarah Ramos, Emma Ryane Lyle. Ron Nyswaner, writer. Phil Dorling and Ron Nyswaner, directors.
What's It About: Building on the short film of the same title, Predisposed is essentially a bizarro road movie that follows the exploits of a dysfunctional mother-son combo. The mother, Penny (an intense Melissa Leo), is a drug-addicted train wreck, her son Eli (Jesse Eisenberg... doing the typical geeky anxiety thing that has worked so well for him... either you like him- like I do- or you don't- like a bunch of people, I suppose) is a budding piano prodigy who has a host of issues himself, including an upcoming audition for an elite music school. Another of Eli's issues? He can't very well go away to the music school and leave his mother to take care of his young sister (Emma Rayne Lyle). The answer? Rehab. Eli needs his mother to go to rehab. The only problem there is that she doesn't qualify at the moment, having temporarily kicked drugs in order to "prep" for her upcoming stay. Unless she gets high and produces some tainted urine, she's not getting in, and Eli- in turn- isn't going to be able to go to the elite music school, regardless of how his audition turns out. Eli must get his mother high. Their quest for drugs eventually involves Penny's typical dealers (Tracy Morgan and Isiah Whitlock) and a Mexican supplier. As one can imagine- particularly with a cast that includes Tracy Morgan, zany hijinks ensue.
What About it: As you can probably tell based on the plot description, this is a pretty over-the-top premise. A son trying to get his mother high in order to get her to rehab? Sounds like it shouldn't work. But it does- to a degree- if you're willing to just go with it. All in all, Predisposed is the fun, popcorn flick that the director Phil Dorling introduced it as prior to my Sundance screening. Nothing really wrong with that. In fact, that basic plot is the least of the movie's worrisome aspects. I think the film's biggest problem is that Dorling and Nyswaner tried very hard to shoehorn a rather gratuitous- and occasionally distracting- love story subplot into the movie. Eli has the hots for Chloe (Sarah Ramos), a girl he met in the eighth grade. Of course being the geeky, self destructive type he is, Eli has never been able to admit to Chloe how he really feels about her. Soooo how exactly is this relevant to Eli's struggle to break free of the burdensome life-anchor that is his druggie mom? I'm still trying to figure that out. In fact, given its hasty development and tendency just to pop up every now and again, I'm still trying to figure out how it was relevant to any part of the movie. Chloe- for the most part- occasionally pops into the story (during the final third of the movie as a Revolutionary War reenactor... a move that was supposedly meant to pay homage to the big annual reenactment that takes place in the directors' home town of Kingston, NY, but comes off more as comedic relief... and... rather awkward) so that she and Eli can engage in awkward exchanges that usually involve Eli insulting her (or coming damn close) and her just shrugging it off. In fact their chemistry is more akin to a recently broken up couple than two long-time lovers who've never found the way to letting each other know of their shared feelings. It was all just so oddly out of place with the rest of the story. Was it meant to illuminate Eli's multitude of problems (he's quick tempered, has a drinking problem, lacks confidence, and- I guess- has trouble communicating)? I don't know, but they could have done away with the angle and I don't the film would have suffered (nor would anyone have really minded, I'd bet).
Beyond that, the movie is full of noise. There are very few quiet scenes. Much of the movie's dialog takes place chaotic screeched, multi-layered arguments. Several scenes feature as many as four and sometimes five people talking over each other at once. I know- as per the filmmakers' explanation in the Q &A- that it was drawn up that way to signify the incredible dysfunction happening during the course of this one chaotic day for this band of misfits. I can appreciate that. But when you have to sit through nearly two hours of this noise, it goes beyond setting the environment to physical discomfort. I can't tell you the number of times I just wanted to get up and scream, "Shut the hell up... ALL OF YOU!" at the screen. Eventually Eli does get everyone to quiet down, but by then, the damage is done.
I don't mean to suggest that this was an awful movie by any stretch. As I mentioned before, it was fun. I like Eisenberg. I know he usually plays the same character in every movie (right down to the physical mannerisms), but he's so good at it, it rarely bothers me. That said, the saving grace of the movie was- by far- the tag team duo of Tracy Morgan (as Penny's drug dealer Sprinkles) and Isiah Whitlock (as his brother Black). Sprinkles and Black are two all-bark, little bite small-time hoods whose sole weapon was their deadly wit. I know. I'm surprised as anyone that I'm heaping praise on Tracy Morgan. The same Tracy Morgan whose typical schtick usually gets old for me in the first three minutes. Here, though, he downplays the whole idiotic man-child routine in favor of being more of a routine smartass. And it works. To great effect. His interplay with Isiah Whitlock (in full "I'm a bad mutha" form) was downright hilarious at times. Their running commentary on everything from Eli's lifestyle, to Penny's mothering skills, to Eli's piano skills, to reenactors is the singular best part of the movie. It got to the point that it seemed as though the movie suffered by not having them in it from start to finish. Again, I'm shocked to be admitting this.
Other than that, the movie really doesn't have a whole lot going for it...other... I suppose... than Melissa Leo's performance. Leo- as would seem to be typical- gives a hell of a performance as a drug addled wreck (who is wrecked far more below the surface than above). Her character is, of course, reprehensible- which is by design. Leo, however, inhabits the role so well- and naturally- that it kind of makes you wonder about her... I mean, you know... or you're fairly confident she's not a drug-addled wreck in her spare time... but... well, she was damn convincing. Too convincing? No, it's not her fault that her character has few redeeming qualities. Let's just put it this way, casting Leo was nothing short of a homerun for Dorling and Nyswaner.
Bottom Line: I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy Predisposed. I think whether others will like it as much hinges- to a large degree- on whether they can tolerate Jesse being Jesse and Tracy Morgan stealing scenes. I think, for me, a bigger problem is that I expected to love the hell out of the movie. Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo, and a just-quirky-enough plot seemed to add up to a potentially awesome movie... to me. In the end, though (and unfortunately) Predisposed amounted to little more than overwhelming din punctuated by some genuinely funny moments... and some real heart as well. Entertaining? Yeah, for the most part. But it could... and probably should... have been better.
Grade: B
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