Shadows on the Wall

To Leslie

dir Michael Morris
scr Ryan Binaco
prd Ceci Cleary, Claude Dal Farra, Brian Keady, Kelsey Law
with Andrea Riseborough, Andre Royo, Owen Teague, Marc Maron, Allison Janney, Stephen Root, James Landry Hebert, Matt Lauria, Drew Youngblood, Catfish Jean, Tom Virtue, Lauren Letherer
release US 7.Oct.22,
UK Nov.22 rff
22/US 1h59

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Based on a true story, this earthy West Texas drama follows a woman trying to lift herself from rock bottom. Everything is familiar, with folksy accents, gritty locations and the inevitable addiction plot trajectory. It's also overlong, with supporting characters who feel underdeveloped. But the cast brings these people to life, and the story has some important things to say along the way to a satisfying if unconvincing ending.

After winning the lottery, Leslie (Riseborough) planned a great life with her 13-year-old son James (Youngblood). Six years later, she has spent the money on drugs and booze, and her friends and family have moved on. At the end of her rope, she turns to James (now Teague), although she quickly breaks her promise not to drink. And she has also burnt the bridge with old friends Nancy and Dutch (Janney and Root). Finally, Sweeney (Maron) offers her a motel cleaning job, working alongside nice-guy Royal (Royo). They offer her a chance to be herself.

Amid the generally downbeat narrative, Riseborough finds moments of off-the-cuff humour and personality that bring scenes to life. This adds an unexpectedly mischievous charm to her relentlessly transgressive behaviour. And it allows her to shift remarkably between being a life-of-the-party barfly and a hollowed-out loner. It's a full-bodied performance that's complex and surprisingly engaging. Her interaction with a range of side characters bristles with attitude. And while the supporting roles are much less defined, they provide plenty of opportunity for scene-stealing experts like Janney.

Leslie is so stubborn that she can't accept help, and still she blames everyone for failing to rescue her when she needed them. So it quickly becomes clear that her only hope is to change her life for her own sake. This may not feel terribly revelatory, but it's important. So as Leslie confronts both her past and present, Riseborough is able to draw out complex reactions to memories and discoveries. Leslie knows she has made serious mistakes, but the question is whether she will ever understand that she's the root of all her problems. So if the film had found a way to end a half hour earlier, before an oddly glib coda, it might have carried an urgent kick.

themes, language 12.Mar.23

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