Henry Fool Review
by Michael Summers (michael AT smart DOT net)January 20th, 1999
Review: Henry Fool (1997, R)
Rated: *** of ***** stars.
Written and directed by: Hal Hartley
Reviewed by: Mike Summers (michael@smart.net)
I found this film in the new release section of my local video chain. I selected it largely on the strength of its description as a "biting black-comedy". Well, this film falls short as a comedy, but that complaint is really more of an indictment of the video marketers inability to pigeon-hole this strange little film than as a slam against HENRY FOOL itself. There are many parts of HENRY FOOL which are quite funny, the most memorable being when the title character Henry Fool’s (Thomas Jay Ryan) replies "His throat was sore from the cigarettes" when confronted by his wife (Parker Posey) about the alcohol she smells on their 10-year old son. But the film is really an allegory about artistic expression and the catalytic effect that people have on each others lives.
The story relates the impact that stranger Henry Fool has on the quiet, backward garbage-man Simon Grim (James Urbaniak) and Simon’s dysfunctional family and friends. Henry’s passion for writing prompts Simon to begin writing on his own. Although it could use a little tighter editing, for the most part the film is well directed. The opening sequence cleverly introduced Simon’s name, not in dialog, but through the visually prominent name-tag on his work clothes. This little trick was then capitalized on in the scene in which Simon and Martin Fool first meet. However, while the direction was strong, the writing was weak. The title character is highly unsympathetic, which made it difficult to care about what happened to him. Parker Posey’s character Fay, although pivital to the story development, was shallow and one-dimensional. The other characters were even more cartoonish, a fact which ultimately sapped much of the dramatic strength from the final conflict leading to Martin Fool’s downfall. Finally, a subplot dealing with the election of a right-winged Congressman was developed and seemed to be having an interesting impact on the minor characters when it was suddenly dropped in the last 30 minutes of the film. In short, I would classify HENREY FOOL as an interesting failure. However, even as a failure, the film had enough promise that I am looking forward to the next Hal Hartley directed film with a just a small bit of enthusiasm. I give this film three out of five stars.
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