Canvas

I had great expectations before seeing this movie, and it fell far short of those expectations. I think the acting and cinematography were well done, and I liked the music, but the story didn't convince me of the actual anxiety and angst people in these situations feel. The father has less time and energy to work and mounting medical bills, yet he has money for supplies to build a boat and the time and energy to build it? I would also expect to see a little more anger on the father's part, but I guess Joe Pantoliano is such a nice guy, we couldn't expect him to be angry.

The movie was okay. When I see these glowing reviews, however, I wonder if I was watching the same movie. It came across to me like a Hallmark movie or one of those after-school specials they used to show on TV in the '80s. I live in a family struggling with mental illness, and I like to feel hope, but not false, sailing-into-the-sunset hope.

Canvas, based on the life of first-time writer-director Joseph Greco, is a film so powerful it should be required viewing in schools and universities around the world. Rarely has the issue of mental illness been so realistically tackled on the screen. The subject was touched upon in such recent classics as Girl, Interrupted and A Beautiful Mind, but Canvas takes a stance of advocacy that is so startlingly refreshing that it will bring shivers up your spine.

Marcia Gay Harden plays mother and wife Mary Marino, afflicted with paranoid schizophrenia. Her husband John, played brilliantly by veteran Joe Pantoliano, is the glue that keeps the family from crumbling during Mary's frequent breakdowns and hospitalizations. Caught in the middle of it all is young Chris Marino, played by the adorably talented Devon Gearhart. The 11 year-old boy is firsthand witness to the ultimate frustration inflicted on a family by mental illness. Confused yet resilient, Chris takes up the unusual hobby his mother handed down to him -- sewing. After some practice, he is the talk of the school for creating unique garments (fetching $40 per shirt, to boot). A Gucci book, given as a birthday gift from a friend, cemented his interest in the craft.

Meanwhile, during her many hospitalizations, John feverishly constructs a wooden sailboat for Mary. He takes an extended leave of absence from his day job to work on his project and is reported to the building inspector by a nosy neighbor. And as if having sewing as a hobby wasn't enough, young Chris is bullied for his mother's "craziness" as well as for his father's sailboat obsession. As confused as his life is, Chris carries himself with pride. He is a survivor.

The emotional core of this film is so profound that it is destined to change minds and lead to more mental health advocacy. Kudos to Joseph Greco for bringing this serious but still taboo issue to the forefront of cinema. He is a true champion of social good. And bravo to Marcia Gay Harden, Joe Pantoliano, and star on the horizon Devon Gearhart for their heartfelt performances.

A very touching, low-key drama dealing with the instability of mental illness inside a southern Floridian families household. As viewed through the saddened lens of this up and coming, very good child actor Devon Gearhart, Canvas tries hard to pull at our heartstrings and often succeeds, especially in the first half of this family odyssey. What cooled the film down a bit for me however was a sappy conclusion, leaving viewers with a pleasant enough aftertaste but ultimately betraying some of the honesty and raw emotion portrayed in the first two acts.

Even as the nuanced performances of Joe Pantoliano and Marcia Gay Harden as the struggling couple dig deep into our hearts, writer-director Joseph Greco chooses to go the safe route when wrapping up his small, mildly powerful family film. Although the final twenty minutes or so were somewhat disappointing for it's matter-of-fact, afternoon school special triumph in the face of uncertainty, the movie is undoubtedly emotionally strong in spots, producing quite a few profoundly poignant, tear-jerking moments that will have many running for the hankies.

This film is really one of the few which touches deep in your heart. Each of the characters have rightly justified their roles. The husband the Kid and the mother. I really appreciate the work of the kid in this film. As I don't know much about the actors and directors but I would really like to say that they have done a really great job.

The films revolves around a family which has a Mother who is mentally ill, the father who is a carpenter and their son who really copes up with everyone the neighbours, his friends and mainly with his mom.

Even though he is sacred of his mom sometimes. Because she might embarrass him in-front of his friends.

I would recommend this film to everyone who likes serious films.

Thats all folks.... Watch it.....

I have had the privilege of being able to see Joe Greco's film, CANVAS, and it has profoundly affected me and my family. I am the president of a nonprofit called NAMI--National Alliance on Mental Illness. It is a support, education and advocacy organization for all those affected by mental illness.

When I first saw this film at a film festival, I knew it was something special and I wanted everyone I knew in my circles to see it. It had such an authentic quality and bravely showed some of the nuances involved in the turmoil inherent in having a loved one with a brain disorder. It changed some of the perceptions that my family had erroneously believed.

I hope that this film makes its way into the world at large, as it will serve a great purpose in de-stigmatizing those who struggle with the effects of mental illness. The writing was searingly honest, the portrayals sensitive and oh-so-believable. You really made a difference, Joe! Best Wishes, Jennifer