Displaying items by tag: Julia Ormond

THE GREEN

US, 2011, 91 minutes, Colour.

Jason Butler Harner, Cheyenne Jackson, Chris Bert, Illeana Douglas, Karen Young, Julia Ormond, Bill Sage, Mark Blum

Directed by Steven Williford.

The Green is a strong drama about homophobia, issues of sexual abuse, legal issues, emotional issues, and public rush to judgement of guilty until proven innocent.

The central character is a teacher of long standing, retired from New York to Connecticut for a quiet life with his partner who runs a local restaurant. The teacher is sympathetic, intervenes when a student is bullied by other students, puts a hand of assurance on him and is then accused of harassment, the student upset, running away, the teacher then caught up in the case, complicated by his not revealing a story of a past relationship to his present partner.

Ileana Douglas portrays a sympathetic teacher struggling with health issues. Julia Ormond is the teacher’s lawyer, with tough moves for the procedure.

With revelations about sexual abuse in schools over several decades, the subject is relevant, issues of sexual orientation, abuse and exploitation, as well as false accusations and loss of reputation.

1. The green, the greenery outside New York, a haven for peace? Yet the irony that it did not lead to peace?
2. The Connecticut setting, the town, homes, home repairs, neighbours, the school, classes, corridors, theatre performances, the principal’s office? Atmosphere?
3. The basic situation, Michael, teacher, aspiring novelist, stuck, moving from New York, the 15 years relationship with Dan, his work in the school, the support of the principal, the other teachers, Trish and Brenda? His years as a teacher? His concern about Jason, preoccupied, intervening, Jason and his surly reactions?
4. Jason, bullied at school, the gay slur, his talent, the withdrawal of the scholarship, the principal, his moodiness at school, the bullying from the other boys, his mother and her alcoholism, reformed, Leo, as a father figure?
5. Dan, sympathetic partner, life together with Michael, the many years, his managing the eatery, the customers, his waiter and forthrightness?
6. The critical situation, Jason being bullied, the public event, Michael intervening, the physical touch, the reaction, his mother and her concern and doubts, Leo aggressive?
7. The discussions with the principal, the police, the arrest? Ransacking the house, taking computers, the protest? Karen later returning his files?
8. Michael, his reactions, hurt, angry, his outbursts, the discussions with Trish, the details of sequences of their friendship, her being a confidante, her own cancer issues, her husband and his being a lawyer, the relationship with the principal and his wife and her social standing? The clashes with Trish, her exasperation, his insensitivity?
9. The story of the past, the sting, Michael’s later description to Karen, emotional memories, the arrest, the plea, social work? The fact that he had not told Dan who was in Paris? The tense consequence, Dan being hurt, moments of doubt, the clash, moving out?
10. The police, interrogations of Trish and Brenda, the scenes in the common room, their friendship, the effect of the questions?
11. The lawyer, out of his competence, the contact with Karen, her relationship with her partner, the children, the sympathetic listener, shrewd, supportive? The various strategies, her suggestions? The revelation of the secret of the past?
12. Michael, depressed, people gossiping, the woman at the neighbouring window (and the touch of humour and lightness with the truth about her character and her sick husband)? The builder, his sympathy, his wife not wanting the company to be associated with Michael? The storm, the rain, Michael fear of heights, climbing, the covering, falling?
13. Jason, his disappearance, working in the theatre, approaching Michael’s house, running away, the pursuit, at his home?
14. The buildup to the confrontation of the truth, his mother and concern, Leo, the revelation about his molesting Jason and the effect on his being late for school, not doing well in studies?
15. The gossips in the town, the waiter and his speaking out?
16. Assumptions and, prejudice, homophobia?
17. The theme of adult sexual abuse of and grooming of the young? The theme of innocence of the teacher and the consequences of accusations?

REUNION

New Zealand, 2020, 95 minutes, Colour.

Julia Ormond, Emma Draper, Ava Keane, Gina Lafferty, John Bach, Cohen Holloway.

Directed by Matt Maffahy.

It is important to note that only dedicated film watchers may persevere with Reunion until the end. Most audiences have found the film difficult to follow, very slow in its pace, tantalising sometimes with themes, and the temptation to give up.

This is a New Zealand production with an American director, and a British lead actress, Julia Ormond. The cinematography is powerful, most of the action confined to the interiors of a house, the main room is full of all kinds of furniture and ornaments, a more sinister upstairs, some ventures outside the house. It is significant that the film is impressive to look at, and an atmospheric score.

The opening credits are very tantalising, all kinds of cards, slides, ancient manuscripts indicating conjoined foetus in the womb, other aspects of closeness of brothers and sisters, and this theme continuing at times in the dialogue throughout the film, especially in the research of the daughter, estranged from her mother, now pregnant and returning home.

On the one hand, the mother, Julia Ormond, seems solicitous for her daughter, the daughter with ambiguous responses, on the one hand and some pressurised emotional violence on the other.

For those who persevere with the film, there is the grandfather, elderly and confined in the house. There are many flashbacks, the emergence in the story that there are two sisters, bonds, rivalries, issues of parental fidelity and infidelity, and all the time the mental and physical state of the mother, discipline, beatings, verbal pressure – and the relationship between the two sisters trying to cope.

As with this kind of atmospheric story and characterisation, it builds up to the revelation of secrets within the history of the family, psychological and physical horror, the challenge to an audience to persevere with exploring the deep secrets and horror this family, especially mother and daughter.