Handsome Harry

I just saw this movie and not knowing much about it, I didn't know what to expect. Whatever my expectations, the movie had surpassed them. The cast is brilliant, the dialog tight, the building of the story towards the climax careful, sensitive and moving.

It's the story of a man, "Handsome" Harry (Jamie Sheridan) who didn't know his own life was a failure until he gets a call from an old navy friend (Steve Buscemi), forcing him to examine his life. It leads him on a road trip during which he seeks absolution - officially on his friend's behalf or maybe it's for himself - and has to come to grips with the decisions that he's made, the people that he's hurt and the crime he has committed. At the end of this journey, will he have the courage and strength to overcome the fear that drove him in the past?

I suspect the people who gave the movie poor grades were expecting something else entirely, a suspense thriller, and that's why they were disappointed. While there is some suspense here, it is first and foremost a soul-searching, heart-wrenching drama. And I for one feel richer for having seen it. Much like the jazz music that makes the beautiful soundtrack, there is not one note in it that's out of tune.

Perhaps this will not be a very fair or complete review. We could not get through this movie no matter how hard we tried.

The telegraphed dialog and the wooden delivery of the actors, particularly with Mr. Sheridan, made me feel like I was watching a re-run of Matlock or Murder She Wrote.

Un-inventive, predictable and sophomoric are words that come to mind.

In one of the first scenes from the film, when we see Harry in his favorite restaurant, I was waiting for someone to start listing all the possible side effects of taking the mood altering pharmaceutical they were pitching... oh wait, this was supposed to be a movie. But it sure seems like a commercial for senior medicine.

If you like thrillers from the Lifetime network, this is for you.

If you like well made movies that have believable characters, look elsewhere.

(2009) Handsome Harry DRAMA

Harry Sweeney or "Handsome Harry" (Jamey Sheridan) hence the title makes a promise to former army friend Thomas Kelley (Steve Buscemi) before his passing, that he were to find and locate another former army recruit to whom they used to physically mock, tease and assault just because he was gay. And from the time Harry begins his journey to the time he goes and finds him, we're then shown in flashbacks some of the mistreatment or belittlement just because Harry thought it was what his army peers had wanted. The subject matter was much more relevant during the "don't say gay!' law than the current time.

On to the movie, it was pretty entertaining as far as indie films go. Jamie Sheridan played a complex, tortured and in the end, cowardly role. The destruction of his own life and other women around him is very sad indeed and art mirrors life. Not the happiest film certainly not a four star but certainly worth renting if you like something different than buildings getting blown up and cameras that spin. The tender scenes both gay and straight are done realistically and leave little to the imagination where sex is involved. I like Jamie as an actor and I was surprised that he took to this role and even more surprising was seeing his name as one of the producers. Good for you, Jamie. Handsome indeed.

At the start of the movie, I don't recall anyone saying where it took place, but after some time has passed, we can conclude it is not close to Philadelphia, Chicago or Miami. One character makes a reference to Albany like it is nearby, and the closing credits say it was made in New York state.

Wherever this movie takes place, Harry is ready to retire and turn his electrical business over to his top employee Pauley. Harry was an electrician in the Navy and worked for a business when he got out, later taking it over, and then he went somewhere that would let him forget something terrible that happened in his life, taking over another electrical business. Muriel, a waitress who seems to be a potential romantic partner, warns him retirement could kill him. Harry doesn't seem to care about that.

Harry's son Bobby comes from Chicago to spend time with his dad on his birthday. That doesn't turn out to be a very satisfactory visit, as Harry's old Navy friend Kelley calls to ask Harry to visit him in a VA hospital in Philadelphia, where he is near death. And Bobby is having his own problems.

Kelley fears he will not be forgiven for what the group did to Kagan. It takes us a while to find out exactly what happened, but they must have done something really bad. Flashbacks show the events that led up to what the men did. Kelley's memory is not clear because the men had been drinking, and Harry isn't too sure either. Harry continues his travels by visiting some of the others who participated.

Flashbacks show the friendship between Harry and Kagan, including a visit to his parents. It's a nice scene.

Rheems is not a nice man, abusive to his wife, and rejecting his homosexual son. The wife is attracted to Harry and wants to leave.

When Harry interrupts his college class, Prof. Porter denies having even been in the Navy, but the professor admits to having been a part of the group. Harry still doesn't get a clear answer.

Harry also visits Peter, who has a strong Christian faith which was made stronger my his wife's terrible accident, which left her paralyzed and completely dependent on others..

Harry finally goes to Miami to met with Kagan. Eventually, he gets the answers he seeks, and we learn what really happened.

This is a pretty good movie, with a number of moral questions and no easy answers.

I think all the leading actors do a good job. Steve Buscemi is always good, of course. I'm not familiar with Jamey Sheridan but he carries the movie. Campbell Scott stands out near the end as Kagan, not necessarily doing the expected. Karen Young also stands out as Muriel.

The music in this movie is great. Much of it is real jazz. Kagan was a talented pianist, and in the flashbacks, the members of his group loved jazz. Harry also sings with a doo-wop group and they're very good. They perform after a Barbershop group.

I think it's worth seeing.