WHO LOVES THE SUN
(director/writer: Matt Bissonnette; cinematographer: Arthur E. Cooper; editor: Michele Conroy; music: Mac McCaughan; cast: Lukas Haas (Will Morrison), Molly Parker (Maggie Morrison, Adam Scott (Daniel Bloom), R.H. Thomson (Dr. Bloom), Wendy Crewson (Mary Bloom); Runtime: 94; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Matt Bissonnette/Corey Marr/Brendon Sawatzky; Sundance; 2006-Canadian)
“Radiates with a dopey warmth.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Modest Canadian indie dramedy directed and written by the Montreal-born Matt Bissonnette (“Looking for Leonard”) that radiates with a dopey warmth, but is far too chatty to sustain interest throughout. The pat script and awkward dialogue is rescued by a third-act twist, fine performances, and the gorgeous tranquil lakeside setting in Ontario (it was shot in Manitoba and Ontario). It’s as watchable as its stunning sunsets, but is not helped by the protagonists being such unsympathetic dull figures.
After a five year absence, a disgruntled Will Morrison (Lukas Haas) returns to his hometown and is invited to the lakeside home of psychologist Dr. Arthur Bloom (R.H. Thomson) and his wife Mary (Wendy Crewson), the parents of his childhood best friend Daniel (Adam Scott). Five years ago the insecure whiner Will caught the privileged Daniel fucking his sultry wife Maggie (Molly Parker), someone he dearly loves. Unable to digest that, Will split without leaving word to anybody of his whereabouts to write a book about that experience. The smug transplant Daniel, wearing a white suit to visit his folks (which really shows how smug he is if has to dress for his folks), also just returns from living in Manhattan, where he works as a magazine writer and has just completed a book entitled “Summer Babe.” The sophisticated Blooms will invite Maggie to join them in their upscale cottage for a reunion of the warring parties, and they will remain mostly in the background to observe the three thirty-somethings go at each other as they try to work things out.
The chamber piece film tries to see if the love triangle could work itself out, if the lost friendship could be rekindled and if the bitter truths can honestly be confronted. Comic relief is served up when the writers get into a fight and show that they fight like sissies.
REVIEWED ON 8/13/2009 GRADE: B-