Diane

"Diane" (2018 release; 95 min.) brings the story of Diane. As the movie opens, we see her dozing off while visiting a family member in the hospital (whom we later learn is Donna, who is struck with cancer(. Diane then drops off some chicken at another family member in need. Then there is Brian, Diane's drug-addicted son who claims it's bronchitis. And on and on. Diane never seems to have time for herself. At this point we are 10 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the fiction movie debut from writer-director Kent Jones, whose prior work was all in documentaries, including the excellent "Hitchcock/Truffaut" a few years ago. Here he brings the story of Diane and her family and friends, all doing the bet they can, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Even though there is the troubled son, it needs to be made clear that this is NOT a drug-addiction movie like the recent "Beautiful Boy" and "Ben Is Back". Brian's struggles are just a parallel story to many other struggles that we watch play out. At time this is a seemingly mundane people, but in the end we get a rich and nuanced character study that is deeply moving and affecting. Veteran actress Mary Kay Place shines in the title role.

"Diane" premiered at last year's Tribeca film festival to positive acclaim. Now, a year later, it finally made its way to my art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Saturday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended so-so (exactly 10 people, including myself). Maybe this movie can find a wider audience as it is released on other platforms. If you are in the mood for a rich and nuance character study of an "ordinary" woman, I'd readily recommend you check this out, be it in theater (if you can), on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

Greetings again from the darkness. In a film that is both grounded in realism as well as playing like an ode to underappreciated character actresses, our wonderment turns to full comprehension once we realize this is the work of Kent Jones. Mr. Jones is one of today's foremost authorities on film, having been a respected film critic, served as director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and delivered a tremendous documentary showcasing the conversations of two more publicized film experts with 2005's HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT. In other words, he's a man who loves cinema and has both a trained eye and an instinct for what makes a film worth watching.

Mary Kay Place (THE BIG CHILL, 1983) is Diane. Our first reaction upon seeing her is that she has the well-worn, hangdog look of a woman burdened by life. As we follow her around, we soon learn that's very true and that there is even more to her story. Diane is the kind of person who, rather than keep a list of things to do, keeps a list of people for whom she has to do things. And there are many on her list. Chief among these are her dying cousin Donna (Diedre O'Connell) and her drug-addicted son Brian (Jake Lacy). The self-imposed penance Diane pays all day each day stems from a story referred to as "The Cape" ... a long ago act of betrayal and indiscretion that has clung to Diane ever since.

The rest of the cast is filled with faces you'll recognize (and names you can't recall), many for their work in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's, including: Estelle Parsons (Best Supporting Oscar winner for BONNIE AND CLYDE, 1967), Andrea Martin (MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, 2002), Joyce Van Patten (sister of Dick, ST ELMO'S FIRE, 1985), and Glynnis O'Connor (ODE TO BILLY JOE, 1976). But don't mistake this for some nostalgic tribute - each of these women offer up exactly what's needed for their respective characters. It's a joy to behold their work - and easy to take for granted.

This little Massachusetts community is tight-knit and speaks freely on the lives of each other. There are few secrets. Everyone asks Diane about Brian - her son that lies to her face, acts perturbed when she tries to help, forces her to listen to bible-thumping, and finally comes clean on why he's treated her the way he has. Filmmaker Kent's first narrative feature is an organic character driven story about aging, carrying a burden, striving to make amends, and suppressing true feelings by constantly serving others. When Diane writes in her journal, "My loved ones are gone and I'm left to be", it takes her (and us) closer to her soul than any soup kitchen possibly could. Casserole dishes can only heal so much., and a lead role for a respected actress serves us all.

The wonderful thing about this film is that it did not feel over-acted. Not for one second.

Diane is a very moving portrayal of a 70 year old woman who takes care of everyone, from her older parents and cousins to her 30 something son (Jake Lacy) strung out on drugs. It is interesting and all too rare to see such a giving portrayal of a human being who is far from perfect, but tries so hard to be. As the film jumps through time we see the results of her efforts but are also confronted with things she cannot change, as people in the end are always going to fall back to what their true nature is.

The movie is directed by Kent Jones, a film critic and long time supporter of character actors like Mary Kay Place, who plays Diane almost too knowingly. The movie is full of only character actors, and so becomes a study of what it means to be a person who is often forgotten and over looked in our lives. Some actors start off in small roles and grow to become movie stars, recent examples might be Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell, Taraji Henson to name a few....but so many actors become people that we look at and say: "hey I know that persons face, but what's their name again?" Diane is an example of what it's like to be a caregiver in life, and a caregiver in acting. It is a film that I wouldnt call "happy" but I would call life affirming, with a really nice ending. Movies that truly mean something and portray ordinary people well are all too rare.

'Diane', a character-driven study of a woman coming to grips with her past life choices, aging, loss of friends and family, and most importantly, her ongoing struggle to relate to her drug-addicted son, ws featured at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. Mary Kay Place (remember her from the TV series 'Mary Hartman Mary Hartman', or movies 'Being John Malkovich' and 'The Big Chill'?), is quite good as the title character and is in virtually every seen of the movie, which, according to director Kent Jones in a post-viewing Q&A, was filmed in 20 days and has won Best Narrative at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. Diane spends the movie always reaching out to others with a helping hand but just cannot seem to grasp the idea that she needs, via those that she helps, to focus inward at times and be at peace with herself and her choices. It is a very interesting movie with several great performances, but at times leaves the viewer scratching their head about timeline, certain images, and seemingly non-congruent scenes, but overall a very good study of a flawed human. By the way...the name Diane is derived from Diana, goddess of the hunt, childbirth, and the forest-very appropriate for the movie's character.