Off the Black

Can someone tell me if I missed something, or was it never explained who the single mother was, her relationship to the Nolte character, who the father of her kid was, and what was the point of her being in the movie at all if none of the above is explained. Her scenes seem like pointless time or sex fillers. I was much impressed by the movie although the plot really left a whole lot unexplained: Nolte is at his 40th high school reunion, which would make everyone at the reunion about 58 and their graduation year one of the hottest in the Vietnam War, the protest movement, rock and roll and the sexual revolution. Yet not one person has anything to say or recall about these things, and the music seems generic, not at all in tune with the late "60s.

I attended the East Coast Premiere of "Off the Black" at the Woodstock Film Festival. Having greatly anticipating seeing this film since I'd first heard about it over a year ago, and knowing a bit about the story as well as the cast and crew, my expectations were admittedly a bit higher than usual. Yet I tried to put away any preconceived notions I'd developed over time. I walked in with a clean slate. And not only was I not disappointed, but I was actually somewhat shocked. The experience of seeing "Off the Black" did what very few films have done this year; it left me with a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. I sat through over 30 films in Toronto waiting for that happen, and it did, just once. This was my first film here at Woodstock and it got me good.

Within seconds, literally, we are introduced to young Dave Tibbel (Trevor Morgan). He's standing on the pitcher's mound, sweat beaded on his brow, studying the catcher's signals. His face completely fills the screen, as if the director is saying, "here you go. If you don't like what you see, this will be tough for you. If you do, sit back and watch the story develop." The story is that of a relationship between Dave and someone else, of course. But that someone is no blonde bombshell or voluptuous vixen. The other half of that relationship is Ray Cook (Nick Nolte), the ump standing behind home plate. But this is not "Brokeback Baseball," no, although surely that may enter your mind. It's something else. It's something rarely explored in American cinema, and it's bold and daring. It's a love story -- a good old-fashioned romance between two individuals who just happen to be male, and it's totally platonic. "Is this possible?" you may ask. It sure is, and "Off the Black" will prove it to you.

This film is made with passion and care. The soft, natural lighting of the interiors allows the full mystery of the characters to flourish. Single point lighting allows interplay of light and shadow which echoes the bright and dark sides of Dave and Ray, as well as the family members who surround them. Dave's father Tom (Timothy Hutton), withdrawn and distant. Sister Ashley (Sonia Feigelson), on the cusp of adulthood, gawky and afraid. All have secrets to tell, but don't, or won't, or can't. Cinematographer Tim Orr manages to find beauty in every little thing -- contrails, dripping gutters, siding and eaves and gently sloping roofs. And the countryside -- oh my. The lush scenery of the Catskills is indescribable. As Ponsoldt pointed out in the Q&A after the screening, the setting is supposed to be his Georgia home. But it could be anywhere where sea and sky and small towns predominate. Some of the shots are literally breathtaking. I found myself gasping several times. But what tugged at my heart even more was the sparse, almost homespun soundtrack. Punctuated by the occasional train whistle in the distance, the music never distracted, never shouted, "this is important." The contrast between the beauty of the setting and the ugliness of the fractured individuals who populate it is stark. It is on this canvas that writer/director James Ponsoldt, in his first feature, crafts a work of art that is simply one of the most poignant love stories imaginable. Those who've read my comments before know that I dislike traditional reviews because they invariably give too much away. It's easy to find a synopsis of the film so I won't do that here. But in many love stories, the protagonists meet, get tangled in tension and deception, and finally fall in love. Occasionally that's followed by breakup and tragedy. Those aren't my words -- they are those of Ponsoldt in the Q&A after the film, who said that he actually wrote the film as a romantic love story. It just happened to be played by two male actors and is platonic.

To be honest, the film can be hard to watch at times. Nolte's portrayal of the seldom sober Ray is unsettling and painful, like a bad toothache that you can't wait to be pulled. Morgan's sensitive, vulnerable, sad-eyed Dave is like a puppy cowering beneath Ray's rolled up newspaper. But the bravado falls away on Ray's part, the sarcastic self-confidence and humor emerges from Dave, and the boy who needs a father draws closer to the man who needs a son. Finally, what makes this film so joyful to watch is the interplay between the two. It is all so natural that it seemed unscripted. As it turned out, much of it was. In reply to my question during the Q&A regarding how much was improvised, Ponsoldt not so surprisingly admitted that he gave free reign to Nolte and Morgan quite often, and some of the best lines in the film were theirs and theirs alone. And only the best directors are willing to step back and let that happen. And only the best actors can pull it off. Most will not be surprised at Nolte's performance -- he is, after all, a veteran if there ever was one. But "Off the Black" could be the vehicle which puts Trevor Morgan on filmgoers' radar, if it's not already. I'd seen his work before (He was Ponsoldt's first choice, largely based on his performance in the indie classic "Mean Creek"), but he carries this film so confidently and easily that I left the theater shaking my head in wonderment. And a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. "Off the Black" will do that to you.

As well as being a poignant tale about the difficultly of connecting and understanding different generations, this sensitive portrayal of small-town life is also a master class in understated acting; the young lead, Trevor Morgan, holds his own in tandem with the quietly dynamic performances of Nick Nolte and Timothy Hutton, both playing damaged adults carrying long-term hurts not easily assuaged. Nolte commits himself totally as a present-day baseball umpire who could not effectively stay with a marriage, and whose past as a Vietnam veteran engaged in battle produced results that haunt him; his initially grudging connection with a local youth who also lacks direction works perfectly in this small-scale but highly believable drama

I enjoyed this movie. Nick Nolte gives his all and Trevor Morgan, as his reluctant protégé, gives a nuanced performance. Above all, I found OFF THE BLACK believable. The premise is a bit unlikely, but the actors are up to the challenge and the director knows where to take the story. It's not an expose of rural life, but it's not an exercise in sentiment, either. There are no set-pieces, one-liners or explosive confrontations, but there are truths. This is not one of these movies which focus so much on the negative as to numb the viewer. (I can name about ten movies in the last five years which do that.) But it does insist that life isn't perfect. The world of movie distribution isn't perfect either, which is why this didn't appear at the multiplex. But the DVD is there. Grab it.

I recently rented Off the Black and was pleasantly surprised how good it was considering it had not gotten much recognition in media coverage or advertisements. I find it to be another quality independent film that unfortunately seemed to slip under the radar or fall through cracks. Not only is it a finely directed tale from first time director James Ponsoldt, but the acting performances by Nolte, Morgan, and Hutton are stellar. One might expect such performances by the veterans Nolte and Hutton, but the way Morgan held his own scene for scene with these icons shows his versatility and promise as a coming of age actor soon to be recognized by all as a talented force. I thought he looked familiar so after investigating I realized he was in Mean Creek and also had a fairly long list of credits, including starring opposite Vanessa Redgrave in Rumor of Angels (another great film and another fine performance for Morgan). I am looking forward to seeing Pondsoldt's next film and the what the future holds for Morgan!