Dir. Michael Keaton, USA , 97 mins, 2008
Cast. Kelly Macdonald, Michael Keaton, Tom Bastounes, Bobby Cannavale
Review by Michelle Moore
“What's worse? A good person who treats you badly or a bad person who treats you with kindness?” This is a question to contemplate throughout The Merry Gentleman .
It is one that is asked by Kate (Macdonald), a woman who leaves her abusive policeman husband to start a new life in a new town. There she forms a surprising friendship with hit man Frank (Keaton), who is going through his own emotional crisis. As the story develops, the two unexpectedly discover contentment in their shared silence and unwillingness to disclose any personal information about their pasts. However, neither of these lost souls can escape their history and the painful truth slowly emerges. The film takes many of the elements that are more usually the province of the thriller - a hit man, a dodgy cop, and a woman on the run from an abusive relationship - but leavens them with emotional suspense, some very subtle romance and humour so fine that it could be easily missed.
Keaton will always be remembered as the disturbing yet lovable title character from Tim Burton's much-loved Beetlejuice but he has come a long way since then. The Merry Gentleman marks his directorial debut and even though the film isn't as emotionally engaging as it might be, it does succeed on several levels. There is some very im press ive camera work, as in a scene where Kate and a police officer are being followed from behind down a corridor and the film's use of music is particularly good in terms of its integration with the visual images and the ex press ions and emotions of the characters, particularly in the opening sequence, where it makes a vital contribution to our understanding of the narrative and getting us into the story. Glaswegian actress Kelly MacDonald gives an emotionally powerful performance as Kate and gives good support to Keaton in his role as Frank.
Directing as well as acting must be quite a challenge but with the help of his supporting cast and crew, Keaton makes a decent fist of his first attempt at directing.
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