Tuesday 4 May 2021

Inventing the Abbotts (1997 Pat O'Connor)

Low key drama, lacking in humour, written by Ken Hixon, adapting Sue Miller's novel. It's 1957, Illinois. Two brothers from the wrong side of the tracks are obsessed by the three wealthy sisters of the town. These are played by Billy Crudup, who's pretty much permanently angry, and Joaquin Phoenix, and Liv Tyler, Jennifer Connolly and Joanna Going. The boys' patient widowed mother is Kathy Baker, you know, from The Jane Austen Book Club.

In common with Circle of Friends (another period novel adaptation) it's well acted, photographed by Kenneth MacMillan and scored by Michael Kamen. Curiously, it's a film without any highlights.

Dancing at Lughnasa (1998), The January Man (Kevin Kline, 1989), The Ballroom of Romance (1986) and Fools of Fortune (Julie Christie, Michael Kitchen, 1990) probably worth looking out for. Cal was his feature debut in 1984, with Helen Mirren, which was nominated for the Palme D'Or.

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