Living Out Loud

When things get worse… they can only get better.

Yet, this isn’t the case with the 1998 film, Living Out Loud. At a glance, this seems to be exactly the sort of wry comedy that mature audiences are looking for, complete with just the kind of starring role that any actress would kill for. Here the newly divorced, forty-something Judith Moore, (Holly Hunter) begins a perplexing relationship with the door guy of her condominium complex, Pat Francato (Danny Devito). Pat has a troubled life himself: Gambling debts and the tragic death of his daughter took away all his spirit. But upon their encounter they want different things from one another, but in the end both yearn for love and support, support and love. Both in search of what a meaningful relationship is.

Throughout the movie Judith is trying to get in touch with her true self. She proclaims to her newly divorced well-off surgeon husband that, “I left me long before you did.” As he abruptly dispenses from her life Judith is left to pick up the pieces. She struggles with living a luxury life in the upper class of Upper East Side of New York, and is now an utterly alone woman, working an undesired profession as a nurse. A choice she made in an effort to be with a man that is no longer around. Throughout the film she always refers back to how she wants children, and how children make a family, and would ensure a happy life for her. But that’s something her and her ex couldn’t agree upon.

The deeper you get into this movie the more convoluted, and baffling the blurred lines between reality and fantasy become. The disjointed scenes and odd transitions seem to overshadow the narrative shortcomings make me believe that this movie is more of a character study than plot driven. The movie mostly surrounds the character Judith and Pat, yet only fully develop around Judith around as she is enveloped in her own life endeavors.

And during ALL THIS intricate undertaking character Judith feels bombarded with information that she now feels responsible for paying attention to; thus spiraling her into her own silent struggle that leads the audience in-between elaborate fantasy scenes back to her tortured reality.

Although this shared struggle becomes a pulling together and partnership when the character Pat Francato comes in contact with Judith for the first time. Judith meets him in the right mood and a fragile friendship starts to grow. She discovers that he has recently lost his daughter and from this shared feeling of loss, a relationship blossoms. But it seems Pat is looking for love, whereas Judith is looking for guidance and a sort of “father figure.”

She finds a different sort of guidance from a Jazz singer Liz, played by Queen Latifah, who sings on the Upper West side club “Jaspers.” But this guidance reverts her back to a more child-like state, taking her out to party, dance, meet men, and have various encounters with sex and drugs. Through this she “literally” embraces her teenage self and seems to come to terms with what her life is becoming. She moves out of her luxury residence and encourages Pat to pursue his dreams and open up and Italian imports store. She goes on to pursue her dream of going back to medical school and getting a career in pediatrics. But upon this, she discovers… maybe she does love Pat. But at this point it’s too late. He’s moved on, and so has she.

Some main ideas of the story do come full circle… but many are left hanging. And for me as a viewer, this leaves me hanging. I realize that reality isn’t just black and white, there’s some gray area, and not everything becomes fully resolved, but some ideas in this movie just seem too undeveloped and a waste of time for the viewer and the character. The shaky foundations of the characters leave nothing to for them to build upon and seem to flit off into ridiculous tangents. For instance, Judith’s encounter with ecstasy, her mention of terrorists, and some of her odd fantasy/ flashback scenes that leave me wondering what really just happened. This not only made the movie seem to drag but also left me cringing out of ridiculousness of these unnecessary tangents. If you’ve got 100 min to kill and are looking for a convoluted romantic comedy from the late 90’s that will leave you not fully satisfied, Living Out Loud is JUST for you.

Living Out Loud was written and directed by Richard LaGravenese.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120722/
http://www.amazon.com/Living-Out-Loud-Holly-Hunter/dp/0780625358