Diane

Small town New England, where the skies are grey, trees cast skeleton shadows, and folks drive endlessly to nowhere. A group of baby booming women gather for spirited, neighbourly warmth, as the ravages of time loom ominously on their well lived lives. Their men, the ones that are left, shuffle in the background.

Diane has things to do, it says so in long hand on her daily reminder note. But her mundane errands belie a couple of hardships: dealing with an adult son with a history of addiction, and a dying cousin hanging on to a lifelong grudge. As Diane, Mary Kay Place strikes a nuanced balance of vulnerable strength, a woman tough enough to bully her offspring into sobriety, good-hearted enough to bring true friendships to many, and broken enough to dance drunk solo in front of a jukebox.

Filled with excellent turns from a bunch of Golden Girls - actors who cut their chops back on the sets of "Love American Style" and "Mannix" - this film brings enough community spirit to perfectly complement Place's solo tour de force. Friends start to drop. Diane continues her lonely drives. The clouds never break. Nothing much changes, and it's all in Place's stony face.

Not for everyone, "Diane" is a moody chunk of cinema which is oh so rewarding for those willing to stick with it..

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.

"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.

Unusual movie, it's like you meet a stranger (woman) and she let you know of the kind of (tough) life is is having at the moment. Quite well done, but the movie ends unexpectedly!

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