traviskdutton

It's hard to believe Henry Johnson was written and directed by David Mamet. There are only four scenes and five characters, but that's not the issue. The issue is how it leaves you feeling like you're watching something important without ever being allowed to understand why.

There is meaning here-but it's buried so deep under cryptic dialogue and missing context that it becomes exhausting to chase. My wife and I, both fans of layered storytelling, followed the plot. We knew what was happening. But knowing what's happening and feeling anything from it are two different things.

The main character, Henry, is a puppet-manipulated by everyone around him, devoid of agency, drifting through the film with no spine and no mind of his own. That might be the point, but it makes for an incredibly frustrating viewing experience. You keep waiting for him to wake up, push back, do something-but he never does.

Watching Henry Johnson is like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces intentionally missing. Or worse, like having sex with the worst person you've ever met: dull, one-sided, and strangely confident in itself. You suffer through it, holding out for something transformative, and get five seconds at the end that almost-but not quite-redeem the misery.

There's a version of this film that could've been brilliant. This isn't it.