Accidents Happen (2009)

It's 1982, and Billy Conway (Harrison Gilbertson) lives in a shattered family. Eight years ago, his family was in a car accident that killed his sister and made his brother a vegetable. His father has since left the family. His older brother is an angry drunk. His mother (Geena Davis) is struggling mightily to keep things together.The boy is an irresponsible destructive selfish brat. It is impossible to root for him. Certainly he makes it hard to find anything likable in his behavior. It is very tiring to watch this idiot destroy everything he touches. Geena Davis does get some great lines. In one superb scene, she almost saves the movie all by herself. She's really the only thing to watch this movie for.

Yes, there is some irony in the tragedies that the Conway family undergoes, and I can understand Geena Davis's dark character of Gloria Conway amusement at finding out that her one-time date Bob's wife was electrocuted while using the dishwasher. It's tragedy upon tragedy that makes this odd demise of a character we never meet a bit humorous in an off-beat sort of way. But this is a family that is really hard to watch at times, because they just don't seem all that real to me. Gloria isn't the most likable mom out there (even Kathleen Turner's Beverly in "Serial Mom" was surpringly likable, even knowing that she was a psychopathic killer), and the break-up of her marriage to husband Ray (Joel Tobeck) isn't explored enough to be believable. I actually understood the kids more than the parents, identified with their childish pranks (the scene at the drive-in theatre was quite amusing), and really felt bad for the poor son Gene who ends up in a nursing home after a car accident that killed his sister, Linda. As for son Billy (outstandingly portrayed by Harrison Gilbertson), I felt his pain as well, feeling that he knew that everybody wished it was him, not his twin Gene, who ended up basically a vegetable. Even the drunken brother Larry I could identify with, knowing how deep the pain of loss and not understanding why everything so bad keeps happening. This is a family that needed major therapy, and unfortunately, the poor kids (minus Gene and their late sister, Linda) had to deal with parents that were too selfish to see how their behaviors were destroying the entire family.This was a courageous role for Geena Davis to take on, much more challenging dramatically than even her role in "Thelma and Louise", and she is excellent. The problem is that from the beginning (when we see the Conway's neighbor killed in a fire caused by an exploding BBQ) there is such a negativity surrounding this family, and the mother is at the forefront of it. Their interaction with the Post family (their other next-door neighbors) is deeply explored, and when tragedy strikes that family (thanks to an intended harmless prank), the two are drawn together. I would have liked to have seen more development of the relationship between the two mothers as they struggled to deal with their grief, anger, and subsequent forgiveness. A powerful moment comes when Mrs. Post (Sarah Woods in a very good understated performance) whispers "thank you" to Gloria after the truth comes out about her husband's death.I found this hard to give a high rating to, but since I obviously found myself drawn in emotionally and was extremely touched by the ending (concerning the widow of the elderly man killed at the beginning), I ranked this higher than I originally intended. I can only suggest watching this movie with an open mind and open heart because it really is difficult to embrace this family unless you try and understand each character for their own individual pains, which are many.

This movie hooks you in with the promise of quirky indie cinema and lovable characters, but what you're left with is a pointless, sappy crap.Awful acting. Awful script. Geena Davis is a saving grace in the film, with barely anything but hokey phrasings and maudlin tone shifts to work with.The images and music were fantastic, but in between beautiful shots and gorgeous sounds there is nothing but exposition in dialogue, crappy narration at points, and seemingly mindless character motivations.This is the product of a confused script. It takes from the writer's own childhood, so I can get how it's probably catered towards some sort of reality in the past. But there is no embellishment that makes it into a good story, simply coincidence and misfortune, most of which happens because of the actions of the characters - who contrary to what the movie states, are largely responsible. I mean, the kid throws a bowling ball down the street in the middle of the night and has the balls to say "It wasn't anyone's fault" when a car gets run off the road. Misguided adolescence, maybe. Good filmmaking and relatable themes? Not a chance.I will concede that the climax of the film, where Davis finally visits her son, is very well done, and probably renders any audience speechless. But this does not save the film, nor does it seem to change where this trainwreck was heading.I could complain more about the content of this illogical sap-fest, but I urge those of you looking for a quirky indie experience to look elsewhere. There are many better indie films that need supporting.

Sydney director Andrew Lancaster did well to lure Geena Davis to our shores to star in Accidents Happen. I suspect he didn't have much hassle with a screenplay as biting and sharp as Brian Carbee's to use as bait. During a Q&A after the Australian premiere Davis herself admitted that she has always been drawn to interesting characters that challenge her; Gloria Conway definitely fits that mould. Carbee arms Gloria with acerbically humorous dialogue throughout – her quick wit a shield for the hurt that lies beneath – in addition to providing an idiosyncratic story about how different people cope with tragedy.It's hard to imagine someone else filling the lead role, Davis finds such a perfect blend of steeliness and vulnerability that she embodies Gloria completely. The non-spoken instances are given extra gravitas by the Oscar winning actress whilst Carbee's words are delivered pitch perfectly. At the other end of the age scale, the young Gilbertson (also seen in the recent Beneath Hill 60) is one to watch out for in the future. He almost runs away with the film as the emotionally-uncertain Billy, displaying a tremendous power in the dramatic scenes. Best of all, he and Davis share an excellent mother / son chemistry in the movie's most important personal connection, their dynamic relationship is a treat to watch.Kicking off his feature film CV, Lancaster has started strongly. His sturdy direction offers some memorable moments – the opening sequence comes way out of left field, but works all the better for it – although the slightly annoying 'Wonder Years' style voice-over probably could have been subdued. Lancaster demonstrates a terrific knack for slow motion; the aforementioned pre-credits sequence, the fateful car accident and a touching scene near the end all showcase the tremendous effect slow mo can have if used correctly. Hopefully this affecting little film marks the beginning of a long career for Lancaster.With a shamefully limited theatrical run in Oz, don't let this one slip you by: write it down to buy the DVD later this year.4 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Ordinary, 3 - Good, 4 - Excellent, 5 - Classic)