Jack Goes Boating (2010)

We thought Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut, about a limo driver who meets a woman and wants to better himself to please her, and their friends, a volatile married couple, was terrific. We saw it on its coastal opening day, last Friday the 24th, in New York. Adapted by Robert Glaudini from his 2007 play, which starred the same cast in three roles: Hoffman as Jack the limo driver, John Ortiz as his best friend Clyde, and Daphne Rubin-Vega as Clyde's wife Lucy. Amy Ryan stars as Connie, the woman who works with Lucy. I wrote about Hoffman in Pirate Radio, and Ryan in Changeling. Ortiz played Willie Colon in El Cantante (2006), and was in Miami Vice (2006), as well as small parts in American Gangster (2007) and Public Enemies. Rubin-Vega is probably best known for playing Mimi in Rent on Broadway (she chose not to do the movie because she felt she was too old), and was in, among others, Flawless (1999), which I loved, starring Hoffman as a transvestite who befriends a very straight Robert De Niro.

Snowy New York plays a big part in this movie, despite its fall release there (I suspect there will be snow by the time this is in wide release) and it does break rule #3. Music is also very important here, featuring songs by, among others, Grizzly Bear and Fleet Foxes (White Winter Hymnal is my favorite and you can play it and two other great ones from this link or clips from more at this one). The soundtrack is out now on CD and download from the usual sources.

Some may not appreciate the pace, but as my Jack put it, the slow pace is essential to the awkwardness of the characters. One scene, a conversation in a limo between Jack and Clyde, is entirely shot from behind (the passenger seat), in real time. Seeing this was a spur of the moment decision, when we had a couple of hours free that day. We hadn't seen the trailer, had not even heard of the movie before we walked into the Beekman in midtown. Though there are beautiful images in the trailer, I'm glad I didn't see it first, but you may be a captive audience when it comes up on then screen. In any case, be sure to see the whole movie when it hits your area.