Jack Goes Boating

source: Jack Goes Boating

'JACK GOES BOATING': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five) Philip Seymour Hoffman makes his directorial debut directing this film adaptation of the 2007 New York play he starred in. He and two of the three other lead stage actors (John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega) have returned to reprise their roles in the film, with actress Amy Ryan filling out the ensemble cast (replacing Beth Cole). Hoffman replaces Peter Dubois as director and makes a very impressive film making splash. Actor Robert Glaudini wrote the screenplay, adapting his play. Hoffman plays Jack, a socially awkward but very sweet limo driver who's never had much if any experience with women or been in a relationship. Ortiz plays his co-worker and best friend Clyde and Rubin-Vega plays Clyde's long time girlfriend Lucy. The two set Jack up on a blind date with Lucy's new co-worker Connie (Ryan), a quirky and offbeat character that immediately takes a liking to Jack. It turns out as we soon find out that Clyde and Lucy have been having serious relationship problems for some time and take it upon themselves to devote a great deal of time to helping their best friend Jack with his new found love instead of working on their own. The film is very slow paced, and seems aimless at times, and the story is almost non existent. It is a great character study though and the acting is all outstanding. Hoffman is of course amazing and Ryan is equally as wonderful. Ortiz and Rubin-Vega are more than adequate as well. The movie is obviously an actor's movie, being that it comes from a play that seems obvious, but Hoffman's directing adds a very powerful and unique touch as well. I really liked his character too and found him pretty relatable. The film shows a very strong and striking resemblance to one of my all time favorite films 'PUNCH DRUNK LOVE' (which Hoffman also co-starred in) but it's not nearly as well thought out and effective. Despite it's flaws it's still a memorable and unique film and worth the watch. Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJalgBjCCrg

The Doors famously sang 'People are strange' and in Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut they certainly are. Hoffman plays Jack a New York limo driver who is talked into a blind date by his friends Clyde and Lucy with Connie, a seemingly sweet but slightly mental work colleague. We see the four experience everything from the pain of sexual assault to the joys of learning to swim while all the time trying to not unravel their friendship and get overwhelmed by the pressures of life. Hoffman is superb as usual in the lead but also proves himself a dab hand behind the camera, often directing like a play, as most of the action takes place in the one flat. Part drama, part tragedy but also comedy this is a human character study in the vein of Mike Leigh mixed with Todd Solondz (maybe Hoffman was taking notes when they did 'Happiness') and despite its underlying darkness this film has a great heart.

This is an odd film. It starts off a lot like "Marty" and you feel a connection to the characters, but by the end, the film's more like "What Ever Happened to Virginia Wolfe?" (with all the arguing and substance abuse)...and that's a combination that just didn't sit well with me. Philip Seymour Hoffman had apparently starred in the play on which this film is based. In addition, he directed this low-budget project. How the two projects differ, I can't say, as I never had a chance to see the play. Hoffman plays a very shy and insecure middle-aged guy who is single. His friend sets him up with a lady who is equally shy and socially awkward. While neither really open up much at their initial meeting, over time a relationship slowly develops--at which time you learn more about the two characters. She is carrying some emotionally baggage and cold probably use a sex therapist, as she is phobic about being touched. He is incredibly unsure of himself and worries excessively about screwing up. In many ways, these two people did remind me of the characters in "Marty"--but they seemed to have MUCH more emotional baggage and were much more constricted emotionally. Because of this, the film was VERY dry and slow...glacially slow. Now I could have stood this, as I did connect with the pair. But, sadly, late in the film, the couple that introduced the two began to act almost exactly like Richard Burton and Liz Taylor from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe?"--and it just didn't fit with what had already been established. I wanted to see these two sweet screwed up folks together--not watch the Bickersons drink, do drugs and argue in the most vicious manner. It truly made my skin crawl. Overall, I would not watch the film. The first portion is great--the last, too dominated by the screwed up couple, was tough going. I think a tighter focus would have helped this film considerably. It's a shame, as the acting and some of the characters were nice. By the way, if you are interested, the title is referring to the risks Jack (Hoffman) is willing to take to change and grow. Despite a fear of water and unable to swim, he promises to take his new girl boating--and subsequently learns to swim and overcome his fear.

Now where have we seen this about 50 times before especially in the indie genre? Two lonely people find each other while stumbling about and are guided by their best friend. He is a limo driver, she works in a funeral home, he lives in his uncles basement, she's just been lonely. "So this is how you make a small movie" is almost the message "don't you dare make them into anything interesting either!" This isn't my favorite genre so that's in favour of the movie but i love Philip Seymour Hoffman as an actor in anything he does and in that case it evens out. I expected more from PSH. His character could have been sad, lonely without being a loser completely. The story misses velocity and gets very sappy at times, it all is very small, clumsy and sentimental. PSH is not his usual greatness since this script fits him like shoes 3 sizes to small. He is the best thing that happened to the new millennium but even he can't save this horrendous dragon of a movie.

It is not surprising that when Academy award winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman decides to direct his first movie in which he will also star, he chooses a script with great depth and character development. This movie is about two couples and each of their relationships. In the case of Jack and Connie ( Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Ryan) we see the construction of their chemistry and how they make an endearing connection. In the case of the other couple Clyde and Lucy (John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega) we see the deconstruction of their relationship as it slowly but surely falls apart although the dynamics for the breakup are not as clear as the mutual attraction of Jack and Connie. The screenplay by Bob Glaudini was originally produced on the stage by Hoffman's Theater Company and was very well received with all but Ryan playing the same roles as in the movie although the storyline was slightly different.We can imagine that this story focusing on these four characters might play better on the stage. It was the talking heads and their words which held the attention and drew the in the audience rather than the few authentic but not really necessary New York City location scenes. The intensity and some of the unraveling which occurs in climatic scene reminded me of that old classic Who is Afraid of Virginia Wolf although time did not fly by as quickly as I recall it did with that play/movie. Also the degree in which drugs were used in this important scene in our judgment wasn't necessary as the characters were strong enough to create the mood and emotions which were needed. The film will be released in the Fall of 2010 and might receive an Oscar nod or two for the acting.

The late Phillip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut of 'Jack Goes Boating' was not one of the better films he was associated with. Perhaps it was his stellar reputation that influenced viewers to heap accolades upon it. Hoffman chose to take on this project because he played the same role in the source material, an off-Broadway play (of the same title) produced in 2007. Also along for the ride were John Ortiz (Clyde) and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Lucy), who appeared in the original production. 'Jack Goes Boating' is the tale of a socially inept limousine driver who works for his uncle and lives alone. He's one of those trite characters with a heart of gold, reminiscent of 'Marty', the 1955 Academy Award winner for best picture about a lonely Bronx butcher. Like 'Marty', Jack is self-effacing and sexually inexperienced; he meets up with Connie who is the equivalent of the wallflower Clara, an introverted woman who Marty ends up falling for. Jack is introduced to Connie by his best friend, Clyde, who also works as a limousine driver for Jack's uncle. It turns out that Jack's beau, Lucy, works with Connie at a funeral home where the mortuary director has his employees operate a side business selling seminars through telemarketing. Connie is also a dead fish like Jack and I suppose that's why they like each other. The story takes an unpleasant turn when Connie is sexually assaulted on the subway (must have been a few stops later, since we see the perpetrator eying Connie on a CROWDED train). Of course simple but sensitive Jack has the right touch and will ultimately help Connie get over her fear of sexual intimacy. As for Jack, he's busy filling out an application for the MTA (when jobs were still available!) and learning how to swim under the tutelage of Clyde since Connie wants to go boating. Another one of Jack's limitations (that he's really bothered by) is the fact that he doesn't know how to cook. So a chef friend of Lucy tutors him on how to prepare a nice casserole. Sure enough, the dark moment of Act 2 is when the four principals end up getting high and Jack's casserole goes up in flames. He locks himself in the bathroom and Connie has to coax him out. Meanwhile Lucy and Clyde have their meltdown when Clyde, in an act of retribution, invites Lucy's old flame she had an affair with, over to dinner. Very few people like Jack and Connie exist in real life. If they do, they certainly don't make for good drama. Instead of writing about people who like themselves (those who happen to have egos), the film's scenarist ask us to root for a couple of caricatures, plagued with substantial inferiority complexes. Of course there are always suckers who will be taken in by such sentimental, manipulative drama. While I admired Hoffman in 'Capote' and 'The Savages', I think his decision to choose this type of material for his directorial debut, was a mistake. It's unfortunate that he'll never get more chances to show us his talents as a director as he had already proved that he was a great actor.

A limo driver (Philip Seymour Hoffman) has a blind date with a funeral home employee (Amy Ryan) that sparks a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and grace centered around two working-class New York City couples. One couple starts awkward and goes up, the other starts solid and goes down. This is a film not only starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, but his directorial debut. Roger Ebert sums up Hoffman's approach by saying, "He is merciless in using himself as an actor. His face is often seen in close-up, sweaty, splotchy, red as if he suffers from rosacea. He seems to be perpetually blushing. In life, Hoffman's skin is perfectly normal; not every actor would stand for this, but vanity is not one of Hoffman's sins." I agree: Jack looks terrible, but that is precisely the point. A trim, handsome man is not what this film is about. I went in with lower expectations, due in part to the film being called a "romantic comedy", and also just in general because I tend to review horror films, so I am not the best person to critique other genres. At least, I do not think so. I would say the film met or slightly exceeded my expectations, but it is nothing amazing. If you want a film about dating or awkward people in love, I recommend a Wes Anderson film. This one just seemed to ring hollow for me, like it missed the mark a few times. The actors all do a fine job, the story is simple but effective. It is actually somewhat sweet. But it did not connect with me. At all. I will most likely never watch the film again and I cannot recommend it to others, unless they are Philip Seymour Hoffman fans. Beyond that section of the population, it just seemed to be a bit empty. I wish I could say otherwise, I want to like the film, but I do not.

Jack Goes Boating (2010) Based on Philip Seymour Hoffman's transparent, penetrating performance, this movie will hold up in the future as well as it does now. But I think it will disappear for many years because it doesn't pull off anything sensational. And that's its strength. It's not a subtle movie, and in many ways it's a little too obvious pulling on heartstrings. But maybe that's okay turf for an interpersonal drama. The tale of two couples who are friends and who are having various hopes and troubles together as both friends a lovers is an old one, but it must be the best of material in some ways because it's the best of material in life, love and friendship. Keeping it focused on two pairs of people is not just movie-making convenience (though it is that, too), but it's the truth of life sometimes, too. This isn't an edgy story, and in some ways it's so mundane it would seem to totter into boredom. But Hoffman, as Jack, is too sympathetic and convincing to let the movie get away from him. He's a great actor, we all know that, and he's showing he's a good, if not inventive or brilliant, director as well. If there is a conventional structure--set up, hints at conflict, conflict, resolution--there is a restraint and economy to make it all make sense. A strong movie. And it's impressive now if you're in the right mood, and will be impressive in thirty years, too, if we can keep track of it somehow. I think it is already slowly disappearing from view, so give it a good look.

After being set up on a blind date by his friends, Jack (Hoffman) promises to take Connie (Ryan) boating. Jack then begins to do everything he can to prove how much he like Connie. There are movies that come out that are 99% special effects and 1% acting, some are good but no matter who plays the parts it doesn't affect the movie. This one is the opposite. The story itself is one that has been done 1,000 times. A married couple sets up two awkward people and they start to fall in love while the original couple is splitting up. I know we've all seen that over and over, but the acting in this one makes it seem fresh and new. The story itself is very slow moving and basic, but the acting of all 4 main actors are what keeps you watching the movie. This is the definition of a character driven movie, the acting in the scene where Jack burns dinner is worth watching the movie for by itself. The movie is probably a C- but when the acting is taken into account it raises the level of the film. I say B-.