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Dennis Quaid. You remember Dennis Quaid, don’t you? An actor unfairly associated with poor film choices. His previous roles suggest he carries a personality perfectly predisposed for playing a father who loses sight of his own purpose in life. So when the opening scene of Smart People records Professor Wetherhold (Quaid) erratically parking his car across two bays, you may think you’ve got this saga sussed. Well almost.
Prof. Wetherhold, a disillusioned English lecturer and widower, heads a dysfunctional family, save for his adopted brother Chuck played by Thomas Haden Church (Sideways). His latest work, 'You Can’t Read!' is yet to be published, the title of which perfectly summarises his approach to all manner of people, who would perhaps argue 'You Don’t Listen!' However, Quaid’s patriarch thaws after a chance meeting with a former student turned ER doctor (Sarah Jessica Parker) – such is the passion he imparts on to his students – who despite the 10 year time lapse, remembers her tutor with great clarity, and has stowed her essays with affection. Actress Ellen Page (Juno) plays the articulate daughter who has an eye for congress and a penchant for knitwear, who wears an uptight attitude exacerbated only by her uncle. And this is where it gets a bit weird. She drunkenly kisses Chuck, an incident that bizarrely becomes the turning point in her adolescent life.
Noam Murro’s characters can be divided according to their attitude. Put simply they either like people or they don’t. By that I mean half the characters prioritise literature over relationships. Parker’s ER doctor adds some humanity to the otherwise conceited Professor’s life, and thanks to Haden Church’s performance there is the welcome element of humour. Seriously who could tire of seeing a fifty-year old stoner in a red romper suit? Page plays the character of the acerbic, intellectual teenager well, although in honesty her previous roles have likely given her sufficient grounding.
Murro’s directorial debut draws obvious comparison with Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and The Whale – another overly articulate family shod in suede, enveloped in corduroy and imprisoned by their vocabulary. In many ways the scenario of a petulant niece and louche uncle, reminded me of Uncle Buck, if only such a strong character were present in this piece.
There are a few occasions when the cinematography heightens the scene, however when the camera sits suspended, more often it serves to intensify the loneliness, and lack of intimacy of Quaid’s character. It would seem that imagery takes a back seat, as Murro savours Mark Poirier’s witty script, over the creation of equally sumptuous photography.
Smart People tells a good story, and offers the audience a chance to develop their vocabulary – not something one expects whilst filling their face with popcorn. Despite its foibles the story is stimulating and the dialogue is sharp. However, if the spotlight had been focused on uncle Chuck perhaps it would have made for an emotionally as well as intellectually intelligent film.
Credits
Director: Noam Murro
Screenwriter: Mark Poirier
Cast: Dennis Quad, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, Ellen Page, Ashton Holmes
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