Sometimes we come across movies based on someone in the cast, and the result is an unexpected pleasant surprise. Sometimes the result is considerably more unfortunate. 'Hard surfaces' is an enjoyable drama, if somewhat conventional, that falls somewhere in the upper middle.
The overall arc of the narrative is familiar, as are the constituent parts. Successful person, difficult past, unseemly habit - unseemly work - sudden responsibility, conflict between responsibility and personal life. Thus the stage is set for deeply uncomfortable and awkward scenes as the drama unfolds. To be sure, there are some well done story beats here, considerable emotional beats, some fine camerawork, and excellent performances.
Zach Brown has written a fine screenplay, and both in his eye and guiding hand as director, 'Hard surfaces' has all the makings of a great film. It's ultimately very good - but the thing is, it's not great, as it should be. The execution weakens the many strengths of what this movie could have been.
The characters, as written, are complex, with depth and personality. The little known cast is more extraordinary than such a small, independent feature could ever generally be expected to employ, and every actor realizes their parts deftly. Sterling Hurst portrays small supporting character Dale with far greater range and emotional heft than one would ever expect from such a role. Chase Fein, as major supporting character Steve Winston, carries a strong, difficult weight that gives 'Hard surfaces' no small part of its charm. Julia Voth is vivid and entrancing as discreetly selfish Liz; young Hannah Victoria Stock, as Maddy, demonstrates skill that suggests great things to come for such a fresh face. I was especially drawn to Sophie Kargman, having loved her captivating, brilliant, and somewhat eclectic performance in Amanda Kramer's 'Paris window'; her role as "Sophie" is much more typical, but she portrays the social worker with an ease and grace befitting a character who shoulders such burdens. And star Shawn Pyfrom, not seeming like much at first blush, grows to inhabit protagonist Adrian with ever greater purpose and gravity as the film goes on, resulting at length in a solid performance that matches his costars'.
And recognizable as the story broadly is, individual scenes are written very well, aptly imparting the magnitude of events for characters. These beats are deeply affecting; we keenly feel everything the characters do, and it's a rewarding, vaguely cathartic viewing experience.
Yet at the same time - the composite parts of 'Hard surfaces' don't feel entirely organic. They don't feel like they mesh together so much as butt up against one another with their... well, hard surfaces. Scenes do not manifest, breathe, and resolve with natural timeliness, and even some particularly fine shots that Brown captures are treated with the same bent toward perfunctory construction - every thing in its place, and a place for every thing. 'Hard surfaces' is a fine film, conveying the weight of its story - but there are moments herein that should be, and feel, and be treated with all due profundity. And they're not. My first guess is that there were budget constraints that defined how much time could be spent capturing a scene, but the end result is a picture that feels rushed.
And that's unfortunate, because without that pervasive sense of being forced through the grinder, 'Hard surfaces' could have been genuinely phenomenal. It's good - it's very, very good, and I would recommend it to just about anyone - but it should have been great.
Don't get me wrong, I very much like this movie. It deserves a much wider audience; its cast and crew all deserve many wonderful things to come to them. I just wish 'Hard surfaces' were allowed to achieve its full potential.
