Greetings again from the darkness. Poverty, mental illness and homelessness collide in this film from writer/director Oren Moverman (Oscar nominated for The Messenger). About the third time I asked myself if something was ever going to "happen", it dawned on me that it was already happening. This is Moverman's illumination of how society treats the homeless, and his vehicle comes in the surprising form of Richard Gere.
We follow George (Gere, making good use of his familiar facial tics and mannerisms) around the city as he bounces from vacant apartment to hospital to churches to second hand clothing stores
and finally to one of the city's homeless shelters. It's at this point where George befriends the talkative and seemingly helpful Dixon, played by the great Ben Vereen.
One of the key points the film makes is how the homeless are basically invisible to the rest of society. The characters describe this as being a cartoon – meaning, they aren't even "real" people to the masses of NYC. Supposedly, Gere was in character on the streets and was passed by without anyone noticing. Vereen's character helps George get on track for re-establishing his identity. See, without any form of ID, there is no welfare, food stamps, etc (except, of course, voting – a topic for another time). The only real sub-plot involves George and his estranged daughter played by the always excellent Jena Malone. She excels in her scenes with Gere, and provides the most sincere and affecting emotion in the film.
It's a very odd movie, as there are numerous "quick hit" scenes that feature such fine actors as Steve Buscemi, Michael Kenneth Williams, Kyra Sedgwick, Geraldine Hughes, and Jeremy Strong. None are on screen for much time, but each help demonstrate the daily challenges faced by the homeless who are so dependent on the charity of others.
It takes a patient viewer to stick with Gere's character as he comes to grips with his situation, but the camera work shooting inside/out and outside/in (through windows, doors, etc) provides visual interest, as do the lively and real sounds and movements of the streets of NYC. It may not pack the punch of The Messenger, but it's further proof that Oren Moverman's insightful projects deserve attention.
