If Sundance epitomises diversity, today was as varied as one can get, in between chatting to the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Dennis Quaid [stay tuned for that exclusive interview] Meanwhile there is a film about spiritualism and faith, a baseball card, and a tough pic about a woman called Nancy.


Henry Poole Is Here
Henry Poole Is Here, is a joyous, positive film that may well be what we need in such uncertain times. In what must be his finest and most intricate performance to date, Luke Wilson stars Henry Poole who abandons his home to spend what he believes are his remaining days alone. The discovery of a "miracle" by a nosy neighbour ruptures his solitude. We live in cynical times and a world that has become increasingly torn apart by religion so a film such as Henry Poole comes along at perhaps the right time. It is definitely not a film for hardened cynics, but it is a movie that delves into the human condition in a poetic, eloquent and profound way.

From a wonderfully rich script by Gary Gilbert and Mark Pellington's assured direction, Poole is a film that is deeply affecting as it digs deep into Pooe's unflinching insistence that faith and belief have no place in the modern world. Pellington has elicited a performance from Wilson that is authentic yet emotive. It's an astonishing performance from the actor and his finest in years. Radha Mitchell, returning to the festival that launched her career, continues to display a luminous and exquisite quality, and gives a beautifully realised performance here, as does the formidable Adriana Barraza, whose character is the catalyst for Poole's unexpected journey.

There is a wonderful moment in which a near-blind cashier tells the perennially sad Poole who denies his emotional state: 'Sometimes you have to be sad to remind you that you're alive'. And that is the point of this film that explores the human condition and takes the audience on a journey of emotional self-truths and a belief that miracles can happen if you allow them to. A richly textured, beautiful and complex film, Henry Poole is Here is the perfect antidote to formulaic plot-driven films that lack any sense of character and heart. Henry has it all and deserves to succeed.


Diminished Capacity
Diminished Capacity is what one could describe as a nice film, a pleasant cinematic diversion without much substance. Though billed as a comedy, Terry Kinney's film has sporadic moments of humour, but is in fact a sad tale of growing older and dealing with memory.

Matthew Broderick is somewhat bland as a man suffering from memory loss following an accident at an after work function, who takes a trip to a memorabilia expo with his Alzheimer's-impaired uncle (Alan Alda) and his high school flame (Virginia Madsen), where the trio plans to finalized their scheme to sell a rare baseball card. It's an amusing scenario and has some wonderful ideas that never seem to quite gel. And while Broderick is passionless, the reverse can be said of Alda, whose powerful and hypnotic performance enables Diminished Capacity to rise above mediocrity.

Commercially, this pic has little chance because it's unclear what the film's intentions are. It's a bit over the place, a somewhat meandering, lifeless work that springs into action only when the charismatic Alda leaps into action. Since the likely demographic is over 50, a bidding war for this is not likely, and any local distributor would need to recut and tighten the film to enhance its comedic tone which doesn't appear to be prevalent, based on the audience's muted response throughout. It is an inherently sweet film, but not destined for theatrical box office gold.


Downloading Nancy
The toughest film thus far and the one causing an almost vitriolic reaction, is Downloading Nancy, directed by Johan Renck. This is an intense, tragic and ugly view of humanity, yet through one of the bravest and most stunning performances in years, it is also strangely compelling. Maria Bello stars as the tormented, suicidal Nancy, long trapped in a marriage she despises because her husband [Rufus Sewell] has no connection with her, virtually ignoring her and her signs of unhappiness. She meets Louis online, and makes a pact with him, one that is preceded by the kind of ferocious sexuality she was denied throughout her marriage.

There are barbaric moments in Nancy, and it is an unsettling and tough film, but life is not all hearts and roses, and the cinemas needs to reflect the darkness and tragedy that exists within our society. Many younger critics will find reason to be full of disdain for a film full of barbaric honesty, and commercial prospects are tough, given the pic's obvious NC-17 rating. Yet Maria Bello confirms that she is one of the most audacious and accomplished actors working today, and is so stunningly raw and brilliant in this film, that it is easy to forget that we are watching a piece that doesn't attempt to gloss over Nancy's tragic desperation.

Obviously, this is hardly escapist cinema, but it is a fascinating and intricate film that takes one on a dark and sexual journey through the underbelly of society. Film is about taking risks, and while Downloading Nancy is not for everyone, it doesn't try to be. For Maria Bello's astonishing and complex performance, this is a film worth seeing. After all, isn't that what independent film is all about?