Extra Special
Kevin Kline elevates filmmakers’ follow-up to “American Splendor.”
“The
Extra Man,” in theaters July 30, is an exercise in extreme quirk in
which Kevin Kline steals the show. The directors and co-writers, Robert
Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman, who were also behind “American
Splendor,” this time turn their eye for the bizarre onto creating a
timeless world – as if 1930s New York were suddenly overlaid over the
present version of the city.
The titular character, Henry Harrison, played by Kline, gets by on being
the “extra man” to widows like one played by Marian Seldes. Kline goes
all the way with Henry’s quirks, showcasing comedic flair in an
outlandish way he hasn’t approached since “A Fish Called Wanda.”
The protagonist of the movie is, nominally, Paul Dano’s character, Louis
Ives, a stand-in for Jonathan Ames, the author whose story is the basis
of “The Extra Man.” Dano is sympathetic if not as deep as he was in
“Little Miss Sunshine” or as kinetic as in “There Will Be Blood.” Here,
he can’t help but be overshadowed by Kline’s force of nature.
Kline, with the support of Pulcini and Berman, gives the audience just
enough of a sense of Harrison’s desperation, trying to milk the last
gasps out of a beaten-up 1970s Buick and renting out a small space in
his apartment to Dano’s character, who becomes his sidekick. Despite
this, Henry exhibits unwarranted bravado, coupled with outbursts, all of
which Kline relishes – including everything from terrible attempts at
modern dance to instructing Dano how to urinate in the street without
being detected.
In
all, “The Extra Man” works best when Kline is onscreen, giving the story
both its dramatic tension and its comedy. The supporting turns, like
Seldes’ corpse-like ancient widow, and John C. Reilly’s inexplicably
high-voiced handyman, come off more like quirk for the sake of
quirkiness. It’s Kline that makes the whole package sympathetic. |