When you’ve got Lisa Ann Walter in a film, that’s reason enough to see it. When you’ve got Joe Burke starring in the film, that’s another reason to go see it. Then toss in some well placed cameos from guys like Todd Bridges and Eugene Byrd plus the talents of some faces you recognize but may not know the names of, like Benita Robledo, Shannon Lucio, David August and Charlie Hofheimer. And then have the film written and directed (and DP’d and edited and produced) by Michael David Lynch. It all adds up to one thing: laugh-out-loud hilarity rooted in authentic characters and the inherent humor that comes with real life situations in today’s world. That film is DEPENDENT’S DAY.
Focusing on the “bigger whole” and the idea of making the film “funny but still [having] progressive themes and messages and kind of reflect the world that we actually live in”, Lynch was struck by what he saw unfolding in the real world and on Facebook of all places; a lot of stay-at-home dads with women bringing home the bacon. That led him to construct DEPENDENT’S DAY where he “could show a really strong female character and where men are kind of trying to get their sh*t together.” Building on that basic premise, Lynch sets us down in the middle of a long-term relationship between Cam and Alice, where we first meet them in, of all places, their accountant’s office as they prepare to do their taxes. Only problem is that Alice is the one who works and supports them while Cam is a wannabe actor more unemployed than unemployed, with his head always in the clouds. He quickly gets brought down to earth, however, when Alice asks the smart tax question – “Can’t I claim Cam as a dependent?” The stage is set for Cam now questioning his manhood and wanting to prove he is “the man” in the relationship.
But while Cam may claim to want to “man up” and earn his keep, the dreamer in him and a refusal to face reality prevent that from happening. Unhappy with his last job as a birthday party clown, he’s quit that believing he will devote 100% of his time to getting that perfect acting gig. Now forced by Alice to go find a job, Cam starts to lie about acting gigs and meetings with producers. He may be meeting with producers but it’s because he’s been hired as a babysitter, not an actor. But Cam can’t even babysit without disaster striking, especially when he watches an “All Anal 5″ porn tape with his young charge asleep upstairs (we hope). Unfortunately, Cam leaves the tape in the VHS machine, only to have it found by parents Hank and Larry Wright, who banish him from the property without being paid, much to the chagrin of Alice.
With his lies now exposed to Alice, Cam is forced to do her bidding, and comes to the fashion house in which she works, taking a job as a receptionist. With their relationship already at its breaking point, things really come to a head when Alice’s boss Bette, claims Cam sexually harassed her, resulting in not only Cam’s getting fired, but Alice as well.
And through it all, Alice’s and Cam’s “best friends”, Kaylee and Luke, have been the self-proclaimed paragons of perfection giving each advice and counsel, all to the detriment of Alice and Cam. Can Alice and Cam find their way through this? Or will they go their separate ways? And will Cam ever grow up?
DEPENDENT’S DAY rises and falls on the performance of Joe Burke and the chemistry between Burke and Benita Robledo. And thankfully, for writer/director Lynch, they are magnificent together, but it’s Burke who soars as Cam. Playing Cam with an almost infuriating level of annoyance to the point as an audience member you wonder, “why would anybody even want to be with him”, Burke artfully brings everything back around by infusing a sad sack likeability into Cam that he maintains throughout the film, before cresting with emotional character development that makes Cam a very nice and charming guy. It’s a slippery slope walking the fine line of potential alienation of the audience to the point of no return, but Burke navigates it great success.
Benita Robledo is a comic gem. She allows Alice to wear her heart on her sleeve, even when that heart gets broken. From a dramatic viewpoint, it adds depth to the character and the story as a whole. But where Robledo really shines is with deadpan delivery and defiance; never moreso than when she confronts the Wrights demanding Cam’s paycheck after learning of Cam’s lies and deceptions. She is killer. And just watch the deft with which Robledo and Burke turn a 5 minute argument in a car over “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “All Anal 5” into one of the most engaging and hilarious scenes ever.
As Bette, Lisa Ann Walter is beyond a hoot and a holler. And although Bette accuses Cam os sexual harassment, as the audience sees and knows, it’s the other way around. That 10 minutes of harassment will have your sides splitting as Walter goes for broke and pushes the envelope as far as she can. (Sidebar Note for fashionistas: Do not miss Walter’s shoes in this scene. Fabulous. And according to Lynch, she brought them to the set!)
Supporting Burke and Robledo are Shannon Lucio and David August as Kaylee and Luke, respectively. Making snobbery an art form, they are the kind of friends one loves to hate. Similarly, Todd Bridges and Charlie Hofheimer as the Wrights perfectly embody the same sex parenting world in which we live and thanks to Lynch’s script elevate the idea of family while celebrating family values and concern for their child.
But the greatest strength of DEPENDENT’S DAY comes from Lynch’s Duplass-styled “mumblecore” approach and scripting that’s resonant and authentic to today’s world and audience. Bringing themes of same sex parenting, love and family, equal rights, sexual harassment, repercussions of lying and deception, and the stereotype of the wannabe actor, but then breaking through all these walls, there is something for everyone. For Lynch, key was the creation and development of Cam. “I was trying to make him more of a dreamer versus realist. Trying to make him more of a dreamer in that anyone can have a dream, but are you actually going to do the hard work it takes to pursue that dream or are you going to keep dreaming all day. That’s where I hope that people. . .that if they feel like they are in a similar situation as Cam, [will ask] how can they actually pick up their life and do something with it.” And it’s through the thoughts and deeds of Cam that take the film on its journey of the twists and turns of life and coming of age, no matter what one’s age.
Wearing the hats of writer/director/cinematographer/camera operator/editor/producer, Lynch knows this film inside out, an asset when making an independent film of this nature. According to him, however, the greater concern than juggling all the balls is casting. “Once I’ve cast an actor, I’m workshopping with them and working with them to make sure that I’m going to bring their best out and push them. Everyone has a certain range. You can maximize people’s strengths. So for me, that’s part of the process and then when I start shooting.” Visually, Lynch takes advantage all that Los Angeles has to offer, shooting the entire film in the Greater Los Angeles are from Calabasas to Glendale to Malibu to Downtown LA. And yes, the helicopter shots are not stock footage. Lynch shot those himself for this film. Production design is spot on complete with set dressing that doesn’t overlook those little touches that reflect the personalities of individuals and/or relationships.
The one shortcoming of DEPENDENT’S DAY that may serve as a turn-off to certain audiences is the actual depiction of various sex acts between Cam and Alice, as well as related descriptive dialogue between Alice/Cam and Kaylee/Luke out in public at dinner. Having said that, it’s easy enough to trim those two scenes if necessary without detracting from the film as a whole.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and then you’ll laugh some more. You can depend on DEPENDENT’S DAY for some heartfelt entertainment.
Written and Directed by Michael David Lynch
Cast: Joe Burke, Benita Robledo, Lisa Ann Walter, Shannon Lucio, David August, Todd Bridges, Charlie Hofheimer
