Venice 2014: Manglehorn

Director: David Gordon Green
Cast: Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Chris Messina
Length: 97 mins
Country: USA

This year’s Venice Film Festival is one full of Al Pacino. And that is great. He’s come with two films: Barry Levinson’s The Humbling and David Gordon Green’s Manglehorn,  quite different films, yet one thing is clear: it is spectacular to see Pacino in great form, and Venice greeted him very, very warmly. Manglehorn tells the story of loneliness and tenderness, seen through the eyes of A.J. Manglehorn (Pacino), a reclusive locksmith, striving for connection with the world outside and being unable to let go of the past. Directed by the very talented Green, this tale is one that speaks of optimism and possibility, allowing Pacino to shine brightly in a truly masterful performance.

Manglehorn, in Green’s words, is a voyage towards letting go. We get acquainted with Manglehorn’s daily routine, a reclusive journey from meal to meal, chore to chore, all the while listening to his narration of longing and loneliness. The source of this embitterment is Clara, a woman whom he hasn’t seen in years; he keeps writing letters to her, only to get them returned without any response. The letters speak of immense idealised desire, Manglehorn swearing that he’d give anything, simply anything for one last glance at her. “Your eyes… you could save the world with these eyes”, he writes. Yet the reality is so: the winter of his life is a lonesome one.

However, as embittered as he is, Manglehorn has his moments of tenderness: the scenes with his only companion, a fluffy white cat, are truly endearing, showing that there is an actual wish for connection within him. His face when he looks at Dawn (Holly Hunter), an optimistic life-loving bank clerk, is somewhat humble and timid, silently begging to be loved and appreciated.

It is great to see Al Pacino and David Gordon Green working together and I cannot think of an actor better suited for this role, proving – once again – that Pacino is not merely living off his legend, but is still capable, dedicated and exceptionally talented.

And it is these moments of gentleness, shining through the shell of hostility, that show Pacino at his best. The multiple roles he has to play within his life – a strict father (so he thinks) to his son (Chris Messina), a loving grandfather, a brokenhearted atoning lover, a gentleman – are hard to maintain, and Manglehorn’s façade is slowly crumbling apart, bursting out in fits of rage and negligence (I’m thinking about how flippantly he delivers the dithyrambs about Clara’s perfection to Dawn, not a muscle twitching on his face, calmly eating his food). And yet seeing Manglehorn stroke his ill cat with so much love and care, we cannot help but feel sympathy for the old hermit. Pacino masterfully succeeds in navigating between these two sides of the character, crafting a complex man, wrestling his demons and trying to let go of the past.

Green directs the story through fluid images and sound, created by American post-rock band “Explosions in the Sky” – and they indeed blend smoothly, creating a colourful palette of emotion. Yet it is the narration that becomes overbearing and too explanatory, Manglehorn directly stating his emotions numerous times throughout the film. Perhaps Green wanted to make it completely clear; however, at times it is really unnecessary, slowing down the graceful pace of the film.

However, it is helpful to see Manglehorn as an experiment. In the film’s press conference the director said that his strategy during the creative process is the lack of a strategy; it’s an exploration of an emotion rather than a finished statement. The ending of the film is enjoyable precisely because of that: it is suggesting the possibility of change rather than bluntly offering a happy ending on a plate.

It is great to see Al Pacino and David Gordon Green working together and I cannot think of an actor better suited for this role, proving – once again – that Pacino is not merely living off his legend, but is still capable, dedicated and exceptionally talented. Manglehorn is his best performance in years, and it is a tender journey to experience.

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