Monday Morning

Monday Morning is an intellectual exercise mixed in with an intriguing plot, in-your face imagery and a slight bit of something surreal, and it pays off big time.

In the beginning we follow a conservative Minnesota radio host Thomas who is approached to run for the the MN senate. He is also a diabetic. He needs to finalize some personal business in Los Angeles, and then is attacked and finds himself homeless and without his memory. Once in the land of the extremely unfortunates, Thomas (and so are we) is confronted with graphic images on what happens on the streets of Los Angeles. Mind you, some of the images may be offensive to some.

From a screenplay by Nat Christian, who also directed the movie, Monday Morning is very seductive, in that the harsh images come as a surprise to us, they kind of wake us up to the homeless situation. We follow Thomas like the rabbit to where he is attacked, and then we are in another world so to speak.

The director (Christian) very effectively sets us up, hits us hard and then asks us to look inside ourselves when our hero makes some surprising choices.

Thomas is played by Victor Browne who is in almost every scene. He goes from a "playboy" type to being a homeless beggar and to being a political candidate with a lot on his mind. And he gives a hell of a performance. Veteran actors Robert Axelrod, Michael Cohen, Rick Montoya and Bobby Jay Mills give delicious characterizations of homeless people. And Jessica Spotts shines in a very brave performance as "Beth" a homeless mother. Nat Christian is solidly real, implosive and sympathetic as a homeless war veteran. Molly Kidder is delightful as an idealistic aide to a liberal senator performed truthfully by Robert Pike Daniel. Ken Melchior is fun as a manipulative senator.

Monday Morning is the kind of movie that will get people talking maybe even arguing. People will grasp it wholeheartedly or they will turn away from the explicitness and some of the progressive thoughts when the homeless sit around a campfire. But, no mater what, Monday Morning has to be dealt with.

What can I say? Starts out a bit like a soap opera depicting a view of reality one might associate with the lifestyle of powerful upper class and upper middle class people, but leaves the viewer feeling like they just got to watch a true story that happened in a universe remarkably like our own... or maybe even identical. Anyway, you're going to want to see the sequel. That's what I felt at the end of it, as did the other people I spoke with who saw the screening. So when you get to see this movie, remember this simple chant for when the credits start... SEQEUL! SEQUEL! SEQUEL! SEQUEL! SEQEUL! SEQUEL! SEQEUL! SEQUEL!... Got it? Good!!!

I went to see it with a friend who was invited to a private screening of this movie at the Royal Theater in Los Angeles. I didn't know anything about it and I was blown away. The depths that this film goes through to present the heart breaking situation of the homeless in Los Angeles, and I guess anywhere, are deep and expansive.

Directed by the writer, Nat Christian, Monday Morning represents where I would want to see movies going. A solid story, fascinating characters and hard truths. Story, story, story, story! With a little bit of humor, fascinating visual compositions, excellent acting and a moving score, Christian manages to engage us in an an entertaining drama, mostly set within the bleak and at times very disturbing homeless atmosphere. At first, during the beginning, I thought that I was in for a light hearted comedy/drama. But then, I believe the whole audience was surprised by some hard hitting harsh realities being depicted. Clever move by Christian. His confidence in writing the script is matched by his competent, and I should say passionate hand, behind the camera.

The film is graced (as in the lead character's word) with some excellent performances by the cast headed by Victor Browne. Browne embodies the character of Thomas Bach (a right wing radio host who comes to L.A. and by circumstance becomes homeless) with a talent equal to our best actors walking around today. In Monday Morning, he covers a wide range of emotions from comedic to tragic. He is a sympathetic actor in the sense that he doesn't have to do much for us to care about him. And when he has to deliver, he knocks it out of the park.

His is joined by two female leads, Molly Kidder and Jessica Spotts, both excellent actresses. Kidder lends a real honesty and integrity in the role of Katherine Sands (She and Thomas fall for each other). Great to look at, she offers a very powerful surprise in the movie, which I can't divulge. Spotts delivers an outstanding performance. With true grit, she shines in a very tough role. And then again we have the director, Christian, who delivers a knockout and sometimes humorous performance as a homeless character whom Thomas befriends. There were so many wonderful actors in the cast and it would be impossible for me to mention all of them. Actors like Cevin Middleton as Thomas's producer. Ken Melchior, who plays a conservative, and slightly evil, senator with perfect aplomb. Robert Pike Daniel, who plays a senator at odds with Melchior's character, is always wonderful in his roles. Robert Axelrod gives us a sad portrayal as a doctor who has ended up on the streets.

A special call out to Buffy Dakan, Kim Salt, Cliff Sprung, Bob Jay Mills, Rick Montoya, Michael Cohen, Amy Greenspan and so many others.

The cast is adorned with a beautiful score by Rossano Galante. And the movie which comes in at around one hour and fifty minutes is well served by the excellent editing skills of Nat Christian, Peter Srinivasan and Jonathan Fung. The credits show that Srinivasan and Fung also did multiple duties on this movie.

Monday Morning is the kind of movie that takes you completely away and you are involved in a life that is vividly created and people whom you become immediately familiar with. I highly recommend this movie.

I agree without the other reviewer who said that images and some philosophies in Monday Morning will offend some to the point that it will affect their opinion of the movie. I know from the reactions of my two roommates.

Two of us loved the movie. The other said he did not. But after some discussion about it, he said that he was actually moved by the movie and was drawn in, but that some of the images or scenes were so raw and realistic that it turned him off to the point that he took it out on the overall movie.

This makes me wonder about the lines between art, realistic depictions and what is acceptable in today's society. There are images in documentaries or channels like National Geographic, or paintings in museums that, out of context, could be considered "hard core". But within their contexts, they seem perfectly normal.

Monday Morning needs to depict what it shows uncensored. Too many times, in movies about this subject matter, some depictions are dealt with moor subtly. But to what effect? Certain movements in our times just lingered on and on until some noise was made by some. Then people took notice. Radicalism? Well, if it is cinematic radicalism, I'm all for it.

Monday Morning is a fictional story about a right wing radio personality, popular primarily in Minneapolis, who is asked by prominent politicians to run for the senate. He accepts, but first must make a trip to L.A. in order to take care of some personal business. Once in L.A. he is knocked out and loses his memory and wanders the streets as a homeless person (he is also diabetic). During this journey, he meets several homeless people and develops and affinity towards them. He then has to make a decision about what to do with his life

Written and directed by Nat Christian, Monday Morning is a very personal story about its characters that plays like an epic. The theme is epic, while the personal relations that the hero has with the homeless is very personal. The images, that caused such an adverse reaction with one of my roommates, are necessary, potent and effective. I realized, as did others, that this stuff is going on with these homeless people everyday. Yes, they beg, but they also experience very real and horrific episodes every day. Christian knows this and does not hide from it. He'll probably take the bad with the good as a result of it. No matter what, Christian's story and visuals are haunting. His actors are terrific.

Victor Browne plays the lead role of Thomas Bach with heart and honesty. He has the task of observing a lot of the time, and he does an effective job of allowing us to feel for what he sees. He is supported by a talented cast - Molly Kidder, who lends a sophistication reminiscent of some actresses from the past; Jessica Spotts, who delivers a powerfully sad picture of a homeless mom on drugs; and Christian himself who turns in a humorous and poignant portrayal of a homeless vet.

Robert Pike Daniel and Robert Axelrod and Ken Melchior also turn in excellent performances.

Monday Morning is the kind of movie that makes you think about it or still see the images after the movie is over.

I heard that passages in Monday Morning turned off some viewers. That some passages were seemingly were off-putting. By themselves, they may be.

When I watched the movie, those same passages came and went, but I was so absorbed in the film that they seemed natural. Monday Morning has the hutzpah to portray the worst part of the homeless situation as it is. Writer-director-producer, Nat Christian, with obvious passion and heart, lays this scenario down right in front of us very effectively.

The story revolves around Thomas Bach, played with intelligence and deliberate restraint by Victor Browne, who is a radio personality in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bach is summoned to run for the U.S. senate. However, while he visits Los Angeles, CA, his world is rocked and he loses his memory, causing him to wander around the city. He meets up with several characters who will ultimately change how he used to view people on the streets.

Christian serves up a plate of great dialogue, relationships and some humor. Browne leads a cast of excellent and seasoned actors. I definitely recommend!