PARK CITY, Utah -- Sunday is not a day of rest for the residents of the homeless shelter but, rather a day of restlessness -- they are turned out into the street, not allowed to return until evening.
That's the sad setting for "Sunday", the deserved Grand Jury Prize winner in the dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival, and it is a film of disquieting grace, power and humanity.
Head-and-shoulders above its competition in terms of maturity, execution and theme, "Sunday" gives encouraging testament to the fact that not all indie films are mired in a twentysomething world view nor propelled by anger.
There's no easing into this "Sunday". The noisy, dehumanizing abrasions of a Queens homeless shelter are thrust upon us by director Jonathan Nossiter. We're immediately attuned to Oliver (David Suchet), an overweight, bald man whose fastidious ways are at odds with his more raucous, and demented, homeless brethren. We follow Oliver into the gray, Cold World of early-morning Queens as he shuffles along, trying to keep warm, trying to find something to do to fill the hours.
In this psychological odyssey, Oliver is confronted by a passionate woman, an actress, Madeline (Lisa Harrow) who claims to know him as a stage and film director. Confused and frightened, Oliver finds it easier to agree with her, acknowledge that he is a director.
The two spend the day together, and their time with one another is a fractured blend of beauty, uncertainty, chaos and ultimately transcendence. Aswirl with contradictory passions and underscored by frightened human longing, the story is a beautiful equation of hope with human connection. Screenwriters James Lasdun and Nossiter have created a bittersweet gem in this elegantly simple tale.
"Sunday"'s radiant power comes through the full-blooded performances of the two leads. Suchet's sharply fuddled portrayal of the homeless Oliver grabs our heart as we watch him struggle to keep his focus, right himself. As the outgoing actress who "remembers" Oliver, Lisa Harrow's performance is similarly complex, showing us the huge grains of uncertainty and regret that soil her life.
Poetically gritty, "Sunday" is graced by some well-conceived technical contributions, all fitting the film's story and theme. The cinematography of Michael Barrow and John Foster is particularly eloquent. Their keen eyes capture both the outer grime as well as inner spirit of Oliver's world.
Special praise also to David Ellinwood for the astute sound design, giving us a sensory feel for not only the harshness of the city streets but the emotions of a man who is struggling to get out of himself.
SUNDAY
Goatworks Films
A film by Jonathan Nossiter
Producers Jonathan Nossiter, Alix Madigan
Director Jonathan Nossiter
Screenwriters James Lasdun, Jonathan Nossiter
Executive producers Jed Alpert, D.J. Paul,
George Pezyos
Directors of photography Michael Barrow,
John Foster
Editor Madeleine Gavin
Production designer Deana Sidney
Casting Mali Finn
Costume designer Kathryn Nixon
Sound designer David Ellinwood
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Oliver/Matthew David Suchet
Madeline Vesey Lisa Harrow
Ray Jared Harris
Ben Vesey Larry Pine
Scottie Elster Joe Grifasi
Andy Arnold Barkus
Abram Bahman Soltani
Selwyn Willis Burks
Subalowsky Henry Hayward
Running time -- 93 minutes...
That's the sad setting for "Sunday", the deserved Grand Jury Prize winner in the dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival, and it is a film of disquieting grace, power and humanity.
Head-and-shoulders above its competition in terms of maturity, execution and theme, "Sunday" gives encouraging testament to the fact that not all indie films are mired in a twentysomething world view nor propelled by anger.
There's no easing into this "Sunday". The noisy, dehumanizing abrasions of a Queens homeless shelter are thrust upon us by director Jonathan Nossiter. We're immediately attuned to Oliver (David Suchet), an overweight, bald man whose fastidious ways are at odds with his more raucous, and demented, homeless brethren. We follow Oliver into the gray, Cold World of early-morning Queens as he shuffles along, trying to keep warm, trying to find something to do to fill the hours.
In this psychological odyssey, Oliver is confronted by a passionate woman, an actress, Madeline (Lisa Harrow) who claims to know him as a stage and film director. Confused and frightened, Oliver finds it easier to agree with her, acknowledge that he is a director.
The two spend the day together, and their time with one another is a fractured blend of beauty, uncertainty, chaos and ultimately transcendence. Aswirl with contradictory passions and underscored by frightened human longing, the story is a beautiful equation of hope with human connection. Screenwriters James Lasdun and Nossiter have created a bittersweet gem in this elegantly simple tale.
"Sunday"'s radiant power comes through the full-blooded performances of the two leads. Suchet's sharply fuddled portrayal of the homeless Oliver grabs our heart as we watch him struggle to keep his focus, right himself. As the outgoing actress who "remembers" Oliver, Lisa Harrow's performance is similarly complex, showing us the huge grains of uncertainty and regret that soil her life.
Poetically gritty, "Sunday" is graced by some well-conceived technical contributions, all fitting the film's story and theme. The cinematography of Michael Barrow and John Foster is particularly eloquent. Their keen eyes capture both the outer grime as well as inner spirit of Oliver's world.
Special praise also to David Ellinwood for the astute sound design, giving us a sensory feel for not only the harshness of the city streets but the emotions of a man who is struggling to get out of himself.
SUNDAY
Goatworks Films
A film by Jonathan Nossiter
Producers Jonathan Nossiter, Alix Madigan
Director Jonathan Nossiter
Screenwriters James Lasdun, Jonathan Nossiter
Executive producers Jed Alpert, D.J. Paul,
George Pezyos
Directors of photography Michael Barrow,
John Foster
Editor Madeleine Gavin
Production designer Deana Sidney
Casting Mali Finn
Costume designer Kathryn Nixon
Sound designer David Ellinwood
Color/Stereo
Cast:
Oliver/Matthew David Suchet
Madeline Vesey Lisa Harrow
Ray Jared Harris
Ben Vesey Larry Pine
Scottie Elster Joe Grifasi
Andy Arnold Barkus
Abram Bahman Soltani
Selwyn Willis Burks
Subalowsky Henry Hayward
Running time -- 93 minutes...
- 1/27/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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