So, here we are. Where are we?
Henry in The Extra Man
Directors: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Writers: Robert Pulcini , Jonathan Ames
Stars: Kevin Kline, Paul Dano and Katie Holmes
Absolutely hysterical. In a witty, wry, kind of way not in an Eddie Murphy kind of way. A tour-de-force performance by Kevin Kline. He was so good. The Extra Man (2010) is a film based on a novel by Jonathan Ames.
Plot: A failed playwright, Henry Harrison, develops an odd mentor relationship with Louis Ives, a troubled, cross-dressing, aspiring writer to whom Henry sublets a room in his New York apartment. Henry teaches Louis the art of being an “extra man,” accompanying and entertaining wealthy older women in their fanciful social lives. Along the way, Louis encounters an environmentally conscious co-worker, Mary Powell, and a jealous, eccentric neighbor, Gershon. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Extra_Man_%28film%29)
Wow, this is a very interesting film. I know that it went to Sundance in 2010 and that was released in theaters July 30, 2010. I just saw it now on DVD. I would describe it as very strange, odd and peculiar. I think that many critics didn’t know what to make of the ‘difference’ portrayed. This is one of those films which challenges dominant prescriptions for ‘being’. Everyone in this film seems to opt out of a norm. I can go with the flow but I know that for many people this film will just be odd. You have been warned.
Director, Shari Springer Berman says; “Henry Harrison just completely jumped off the page and I imagined him instantly—and I imagined him as Kevin Kline. And the dialogue is so funny and unpredictable and unique, so that was really just what intrigued me about it. And also I really loved the world it depicted, I felt like I hadn’t seen anyone who depicted these New Yorkers, these fringe characters who live on the edge of culture. Maybe “Midnight Cowboy,” a little bit, but that still had a whole other thing going on. It just seemed like a very unique specific world that I would love to live in and delve into.” (http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/07/extra-man-director-shari-springer.html)
Henry (Kevin Kline) teaches Louis how to be an escort to very wealthy, elderly ladies, partaking in fabulous parties and going to amazing restaurants. Henry knows that these ladies need an extra man for functions. Henry knows how to get into the Opera for free wears shoe-polish as socks and drives a dilapidated car. He vacations in Palm Beach, Florida for the winter by being offered a room in the home of one of his wealthy socialites.
Kline said; “An ‘extra man,’ as the character defines it, is when there needs to be boy-girl-boy-girl seating at a table. Women live longer than men. And when the husband dies, there’s a need for filling the seat. Of course, what I love about Henry Harrison is that he’s taking the notion of being supplementary seat filler and making it into an art.” (http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/08/kevin_kline_on_the_extra_man_a.html)
Louis has a penchant for cross-dressing which leads him to an older prostitute who specializes in cross-dressing and spanking. Before Louis, Henry had a roommate who was into SM. There’s something about Henry.
Louis meets Mary Powell (Katie Holmes) but she is already involved with someone. Mary is a Vegan Environmentalist. Louis not only wants her, he wants to be her. He hires a re-make artist to try to invoke a transformation.
Some people think that the quirkiness of 12 characters is crammed into two. I don’t think so. It was excessive but absolutely in step with these characters. A Sundance review says; Quirk is probably emblematic of Sundance at this point — stories about misfit families or shaggy loners with bizarre habits are perennial favorites up here in the mountains, to the point that you can read the synopsis for a movie about a carnival barker with lupus or a family of rodeo clowns and say “Yup, that’s a Sundance movie.” (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/sundance-review-the-extra-man-16730.html)
A review said; The world of “The Extra Man” is a sealed hothouse in which everybody is an oddball. Occasionally it suggests a much more fey, outré answer to Wes Anderson’s “Royal Tenenbaums.” (http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/movies/30extra.html)
Yes, it is quirky and I liked it.
Romy Shiller is a pop culture critic and holds a PhD in Drama from the University of Toronto. Her academic areas of concentration include film, gender performance, camp and critical thought. She lives in Montreal where she continues her writing. All books are available online
Website: http://romyshiller.com/
Twitter: RomyShiller
