Arlington Road
Arlington Road puts me in a tough position. I have all sorts of interesting socio-political things to say about this movie, but I'm afraid I can't share any of them with you. Like The Usual Suspects or especially The Game, this movie is all about what happens in the final 15 minutes, and I can't reasonably discuss any plot details without ruining the intriguing experience that Arlington Road offers. Without giving away any spoilers, I can only say this: Michael Faraday, professor of Terrorist Studies at George Washington University, begins to suspect that his bland suburban neighbor Oliver Lang may be more sinister than he appears. Is he right, or is Faraday's line of work clouding his judgement, making him invent goblins where there are none?
It's a strange film - for the majority of it, I found myself mildly engaged but certainly not engrossed, and even generally irritated by the clunky dialogue and interpersonal melodrama. Jeff Bridges is a sadly underrated actor and can work wonders given the proper role; here he is only allowed to dash around in a paranoiac haze. Similarly, Tim Robbins has shown a penchant for brilliant screenwriting and direction (Dead Man Walking) scathing political satire (Bob Roberts) and Everyman menace (The Player), but Arlington Road turns him into something of a caricature. Watching these two accomplished actors so stiff and obviously Theatrical was disheartening (although Joan Cusack is appropriately goofy and creepy as Oliver's wife).
And yet - the surprisingly anti-Hollywood ending forced me to reevaluate the entire movie. While I still don't believe the movie works well on an emotional level (Faraday's torment over his wife's death and relationship with his son didn't fully connect), in retrospect it's intellectually fascinating. The film's title as well as the name of its antagonist offers a clue - Arlington Road is a sharp political parable that approaches the background of a great American tragedy by drawing on a more recent one. While the movie is getting slammed by critics for its faulty internal logic, it's an unfair criticism. The final scenes justify any and all shaky plot devices by ramming its cynical point deep into your cortex. For Arlington Road, the paranoiac ends completely justify the means.
- Jared O'Connor
MOVIES
All Content © 1997, 1998, 1999 Jared O'Connor and Michael Baker