By: debbie lynn elias
A tour de force performance piece, and one of my top 3 “Must See” Festival Films at Los Angeles Film Festival 2013, is BOXING DAY. Written and directed by Bernard Rose, BOXING DAY is an adaptation of Tolstoy’s contemplative The Master and The Man. A wonderful film that has quickly become one of my favorite Tolstoy adaptations, BOXING DAY is an intimate portrait of the human condition and the socio-economic status of the country.
Set in present day, Danny Huston is cash-strapped LA business entrepreneur, Basil, who takes advantage of the poor economy and real estate market by snapping up foreclosed properties from banks for quick re-sale and flipping. Needing to take advantage of every opportunity, he leaves his family the day after Christmas – Boxing Day – and heads to Denver to check out some properties. His driver for the day is British ex-pat Nick played by Matthew Jacobs,who has more than his share of middle class problems thanks to a nasty divorce, refusal by his ex to let him see his daughter even for Christmas and excessive drinking which has driven him to AA. At odds with each other through the course of the day, we are privy to class and classlessness in the most unlikely forms.
Sharply observed with a dialogue rich narrative, BOXING DAY is extremely well crafted, allowing the actors to soar, particularly Huston who maintains an air of pompous aristocracy and privilege until the last possible moment when he unconsciously embraces the true spirit of BOXING DAY itself. Matthew Jacobs is a pure delight as the grounded, simple and salt of the earth Nick, resonating with the heart.
Visually beauteous, the starkness and pristine visual of the clean, pure snow of winter in the Rocky Mountains stuns as a blank canvas that creates a perfect backdrop to the performances. Most appreciative is that the bulk of the film takes place under a cold grey sky with the brilliance warmth of the sun ultimately metaphorically appearing at a climactic moment in the story structure.
A haunting Schubert sonata performed by writer/director Bernard Rose himself, underscores the powerful performances and elegant simplicity of the film as a whole.
BOXING DAY is emotional beauty at its purest.
Writer/Director: Bernard Rose
Cast: Danny Huston, Matthew Jacobs
