Released in early 1990 and directed by Paul Brickman, "Men Don't Leave" is a drama with comedic elements about a mother (Jessica Lange) and two sons who lose their husband/father and must move to Baltimore to make it and overcome their grief. Chris O'Donnell plays the teenage son while Joan Cusack appears as his older girlfriend, an x-ray technician. Arliss Howard is on hand as a potential beau for the mother, a musician. Kathy Bates plays her new boss, the manager of a gourmet bakery.
This movie's tragic, odd, dramatic, funny and inspirational, just like life. It respects the intelligence of the viewer as everything's not always spelled out. Roger Ebert complained about the predictability of the mother's meet-cute with the musician, which may be true, but he overlooked the many UNpredictable and offbeat elements of the movie, like the teen's relationship with the medical technician and her interesting relationship arc with the mother.
He also complained about the film's depiction of clinical depression and its supposedly trite antidote, but – speaking as someone who suffered severe depression in the past; and overcame it without "meds" – this simply isn't true. Both the depiction and the remedy are real-to-life; the portrayal is sad with some realistic humor and inspiration thrown into the mix. What did he want? Her to take a pill and everything would be hunky-dory? The best thing for a person who's suffering depression is to get them out of the darkness of the bedroom and into the light of day; get them talking; give them something active to DO; and help them set some realistic goals that they can immediately start working toward, not to mention encourage some close, positive relationships, and discourage negative ones. The movie effectively shows this.
The film runs 115 minutes and was shot in Baltimore, Maryland, and Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, Illinois.
GRADE: B-
This movie's tragic, odd, dramatic, funny and inspirational, just like life. It respects the intelligence of the viewer as everything's not always spelled out. Roger Ebert complained about the predictability of the mother's meet-cute with the musician, which may be true, but he overlooked the many UNpredictable and offbeat elements of the movie, like the teen's relationship with the medical technician and her interesting relationship arc with the mother.
He also complained about the film's depiction of clinical depression and its supposedly trite antidote, but – speaking as someone who suffered severe depression in the past; and overcame it without "meds" – this simply isn't true. Both the depiction and the remedy are real-to-life; the portrayal is sad with some realistic humor and inspiration thrown into the mix. What did he want? Her to take a pill and everything would be hunky-dory? The best thing for a person who's suffering depression is to get them out of the darkness of the bedroom and into the light of day; get them talking; give them something active to DO; and help them set some realistic goals that they can immediately start working toward, not to mention encourage some close, positive relationships, and discourage negative ones. The movie effectively shows this.
The film runs 115 minutes and was shot in Baltimore, Maryland, and Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, Illinois.
GRADE: B-