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"You Get So Alone
Sometimes It Just Makes
Sense" |
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Directed by Bent Hamer -
Written by Bent Hamer,
Jim Stark, Charles
Bukowski
Starring Matt Dillon,
Lili Taylor, Marisa
Tomei, Fisher Stevens
Distributed by IFC -
2006 - 105mins - Rated R |
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Man of many jobs... |
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If you've ever read
the "About Us" section on IndependentCritics.com, then you already
know that Charles Bukowski, on whose novel "Factotum" is based, is one
of my favorite authors and, hands down, my favorite poem.
Cinematically, we first met Bukowski's alter ego, Henry Chinaski, in
the vastly under-appreciated "Barfly," a film starring Mickey Rourke
for which Bukowski wrote the screenplay. Over 10 years after
Bukowski's death, Chinaski is back in "Factotum," a vastly different
film than "Barfly" with Matt Dillon as Chinaski.
"Factotum," quite simply, has a limited audience. Odds are strong that
even diehard Bukowski fans are going to watch the film, get to the
end, and think to themselves "Man, that ain't Bukowski." Despite the
involvement of Bukowski's widow, Linda, and Black Sparrow Press,
Bukowski's longtime publisher, "Factotum" is less dark, less gritty
and less ugly than "Barfly."
As directed by Norwegian filmmaker Bent Hamer, "Factotum" cuts the
crap, plays down the drama and just presents Bukowski as a drinking,
writing and fucking man who seldom held a real job for more than a few
days either because he was so drunk he couldn't function or because he
just didn't give a damn.
In "Barfly," Barbet Schroeder turned the film into a sort of
hyperactive look at an immensely talented but utterly hopeless writer.
Most likely, Schroeder presented Bukowski the way most of us read
Bukowski...with emotion and drama and sarcasm and bitterness and
hopelessness and just about every other negative emotion in the book.
Hamer's film is different. Startlingly different. In fact, "Factotum"
is uncomfortably different. Hamer's film has a calm acceptance of
Bukowski that almost makes it feel like a Jim Jarmusch film. This may
be, in part, due to the presence of longtime Jarmusch producer Jim
Stark as a co-writer for the script. It may, however, just be because
Hamer, in having the cooperation of Linda Bukowski, has been able to
tape into a more authentic essence of Bukowski. "Factotum" transcends
the dramatic illusion of Bukowski and presents him as more of an "as
is" work in progress.
Dillon is rather unsettling as Chinaski. Dillon lacks Rourke's
intensity and darkness, but replaces it with a Chinaski who is dry,
matter of fact and completely unaware of anything beyond the given
moment. "Factotum" is Dillon's finest performance, exceeding even his
Oscar-nominated performance in "Crash."
Being based upon Bukowski, one can expect a considerable amount of
booze and a considerable amount of sex. First, Chinaski shacks up with
Jan (Lili Taylor), whom he meets in a bar and moves in with that
night. Their relationship is passionate, sexual, innocent, violent and
almost always fueled by alcohol. Taylor, who captured the Golden Swan
for Best Actress at the Copenhagen Film Festival for her performance
here, should see an Independent Spirit nomination come her way for
Best Actress. Her performance is undoubtedly worthy of an Oscar
nomination, however, the Academy proved years ago that it lacks the
courage to recognize bold, courageous independent films. While
Dillon's performance lacks anything resembling sympathy, Taylor's
performance as Jan is a tad more playful and warm. She adds just
enough humanity to make you wish to hell that this relationship would
work out. Of course, there's not a chance in hell that it will.
After his first break-up with Jan, Chinaski takes up with Laura
(Marisa Tomei). Laura is another bar pick-up who spends most of her
time being kept by Pierre, an odd little millionaire. While this
relationship is short-lived, it adds a desperately needed energy and
attitude to "Factotum." Tomei is nearly unrecognizable here, and makes
Laura a vastly different, yet equally rich complement to Jan. Tomei,
who gives her first nude scene in this film, is smoldering, emotional,
funny, sad and glorious in what amounts to only a few minutes on
screen. Yet, she brings these emotions out without ever becoming a
caricature or creating such emotion that it makes the film seem
lopsided. In essence, Tomei merely presents a different perspective on
the same picture for Chinaski. Her performance here again makes me
wonder how Tomei has so drifted from the cinematic scene. She
consistently accepts challenging and diverse roles...and consistently
she nails them.
Were it left up to these three performances, "Factotum" would be one
of 2006's best films. While "Factotum" is a wonderful, unique
interpretation of Bukowski's novel, it does become somewhat repetitive
and a bit meaningless over the course of 105 minutes. While one could
certainly argue that writing, sex and alcohol would become repetitive,
there's simply no doubt that a tad more variation would have made
Hamer's film more effective. While it's easy to admire Hamer's courage
in presenting Chinaski "as is," "Factotum" also never really captures
Bukowski's well noted verbosity, passion and irreverence. Even his
scenes of conflict are played very much episodically. While Bukowski's
poetry is recited at times throughout the film, it often feels like
Hamer's trying to turn "Factotum" into cinematic poetry. It's an
admirable goal, but it is only partially successful.
Linda Bukowski has praised this film for not buying into the illusion
of Bukowski. While "Barfly" gave us a dirty, gritty Bukowski, Linda
Bukowski has stated that he was actually quite neat and clean even
when drunk. While this more balanced and accurate portrayal often
works quite well, there are still times when Hamer's film feels too
clean a portrayal of the life Chinaski had to have lived before he
started to experience writing success in his mid 30's. The film seldom
varies from its rather straightforward cinematic approach. This, in
turn, makes it feel as if Chinaski was the same whether at work,
writing, having sex or drinking. As a man noted for his extreme
passion and devotion to writing, this lack of atmospheric variation
becomes a bit disturbing by the film's end.
"Factotum" is a unique, largely successful interpretation of the work
and life of Charles Bukowski. Vastly different from "Barfly,"
"Factotum" features outstanding performances from Matt Dillon, Lili
Taylor and Marisa Tomei working together in creating the unique
cinematic vision of director Bent Hamer. "Factotum" is, on a certain
level, much like Bukowski himself...impossible to love, impossible to
hate and impossible to ignore.
God, I miss Bukowski. |
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© Written by Richard Propes -
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