-By Doris Toumarkine
For movie details, please click here.
The Extra Man offers Kevin Kline in a showy role as a
flamboyant, aging New York society walker and Paul Dano, in yet
another nerdy/weirdo part, as the kid who studies this hanger-on.
Oscar-nominated writer-directors Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer
Berman previously delivered the wonderful, critically acclaimed
American Splendor, and there’s potential here for a
diverting tale about walkers, those often-colorful characters
masquerading on the fringe of high society.
But all falls flat in a story, derived from a novel by co-scripter
Jonathan Ames, that never seems to know where it wants to go.
Worse, the characters may occasionally amuse but they are never
believable.
Henry Harrison (Kline), who escorts wealthy, elderly society ladies
to a variety of events in Manhattan and Palm Beach, must bring in a
roommate to help pay the rent for his rather dingy Upper East Side
apartment, which at least keeps him in the neighborhood of the
class he serves. Enter Louis Ives (Dano), a wannabe writer (with a
taste for Fitzgerald and Henry James) just booted from a job at a
New Jersey prep school. After taking up residence in Henry’s
cramped apartment, he lands a job at an environmental magazine
where he develops a kind of crush on beautiful co-worker Mary
(Katie Holmes).
Henry at home is quite a character, dancing about or singing along
to operettas. He appears to be
tres gay, but his sexual
orientation is never addressed. Louis, too, is somewhat suspect, as
he is obsessed with cross-dressing and the sexy spankologist he
befriends. This quirk also goes nowhere.
Louis does become intrigued with Henry’s line of business and
follows along as he delights his society ladies and shows Louis how
to bluff his way into the opera without paying. His clients aside,
there are a number of oddballs in Henry’s circle who get more
attention, if not clarification, including hairy neighbor Gershon
(John C. Reilly), a subway mechanic who seems to serve no purpose
in this story except to fix Henry’s jalopy. Another enigma is
Henry’s mysterious previous roommate, a Swiss hunchback barely seen
who Henry suspects has stolen his play. At least the legendary
Marian Seldes, in a cameo as one of Henry’s ladies whom Louis takes
on, is organic to what plot there is.
The Extra Man is meant to be a sophisticated comedy, but
there are few laughs. The film certainly IDs a real feature of high
society—the elderly, often widowed super-rich and their gay climber
party pals (moochers usually) who serve as their amusing,
well-attired, well-behaved escorts.
But all is too broad and the approach too diffident. Kline’s Henry
impresses as an old poof, so why not deal with that? And why not
deal with Louis’ secret proclivities?
Film Review: The Extra Man
Potentially delicious tale of flamboyant Upper East Side walker on the skids and the innocent young aspiring writer he wrangles as a roommate is too broadly played and unfocused to click.
July 20, 2010
-By Doris Toumarkine
For movie details, please click here.
The Extra Man offers Kevin Kline in a showy role as a flamboyant, aging New York society walker and Paul Dano, in yet another nerdy/weirdo part, as the kid who studies this hanger-on. Oscar-nominated writer-directors Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman previously delivered the wonderful, critically acclaimed
American Splendor, and there’s potential here for a diverting tale about walkers, those often-colorful characters masquerading on the fringe of high society.
But all falls flat in a story, derived from a novel by co-scripter Jonathan Ames, that never seems to know where it wants to go. Worse, the characters may occasionally amuse but they are never believable.
Henry Harrison (Kline), who escorts wealthy, elderly society ladies to a variety of events in Manhattan and Palm Beach, must bring in a roommate to help pay the rent for his rather dingy Upper East Side apartment, which at least keeps him in the neighborhood of the class he serves. Enter Louis Ives (Dano), a wannabe writer (with a taste for Fitzgerald and Henry James) just booted from a job at a New Jersey prep school. After taking up residence in Henry’s cramped apartment, he lands a job at an environmental magazine where he develops a kind of crush on beautiful co-worker Mary (Katie Holmes).
Henry at home is quite a character, dancing about or singing along to operettas. He appears to be
tres gay, but his sexual orientation is never addressed. Louis, too, is somewhat suspect, as he is obsessed with cross-dressing and the sexy spankologist he befriends. This quirk also goes nowhere.
Louis does become intrigued with Henry’s line of business and follows along as he delights his society ladies and shows Louis how to bluff his way into the opera without paying. His clients aside, there are a number of oddballs in Henry’s circle who get more attention, if not clarification, including hairy neighbor Gershon (John C. Reilly), a subway mechanic who seems to serve no purpose in this story except to fix Henry’s jalopy. Another enigma is Henry’s mysterious previous roommate, a Swiss hunchback barely seen who Henry suspects has stolen his play. At least the legendary Marian Seldes, in a cameo as one of Henry’s ladies whom Louis takes on, is organic to what plot there is.
The Extra Man is meant to be a sophisticated comedy, but there are few laughs. The film certainly IDs a real feature of high society—the elderly, often widowed super-rich and their gay climber party pals (moochers usually) who serve as their amusing, well-attired, well-behaved escorts.
But all is too broad and the approach too diffident. Kline’s Henry impresses as an old poof, so why not deal with that? And why not deal with Louis’ secret proclivities?
