Elaborate conspiracy theories about aliens will not be a novel idea, nor are conspiracy theories about different folks and the way in which they dwell, too. It might be heartbreaking to observe a guardian, cherished one, or pal delve right into a realm of issues which will appear not possible to others, using these theories to justify sure features of their life. When it looks like it’s hurting others and themselves, it turns into a serious trigger for concern.
In the new science fiction drama Acidman, this actual reasoning turns into the idea for one father’s causes to dwell a lonely life – and whereas it may be by design, it’s not serving to him in the long term, particularly after his estranged daughter reveals up at his doorstep, trying to reconnect with her reclusive father.
Thomas Haden Church Is Stunning
Acidman is directed by Alex Lehmann. Lehmann co-wrote the script with Chris Dowling, who beforehand labored on Blue Miracle and Priceless as a author, whereas additionally directing films like Where Hope Grows. Thomas Haden Church, who beforehand appeared within the films Sideways, Spider-Man 3, and Smart People, co-stars alongside Glee’s Dianna Agron. Together, the 2 make a father-daughter duo that has been estranged for fairly a bit now.
Church’s character, Lloyd, lives remoted within the woods, and the plot for Acidman begins when Agron’s character, Maggie, comes to search out him. What occurs subsequent is a studying second for Maggie, as she realizes her father may not be as secure as she thought he could be, making issues rather more difficult than anticipated. Sameerah Luqmaan-Harris of Sharp Objects and The Good Wife additionally makes an look within the film.
The movie initially made its premiere in June 2022 at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was picked up by Brainstorm Media for distribution in 2023, and, virtually a 12 months after Tribeca, will make its approach throughout screens in North America on the finish of March. Acidman clocks in at 87 minutes, making it appropriately timed and paced contemplating its story, and finds its redeeming moments particularly within the performances, particularly in Church’s portrayal of Lloyd.
Acidman is a testomony to Church’s strengths as an actor, one thing the film world has not seen sufficient of because of how seldom he’s solid in meaty roles and anticipated to play sure characters.
Fathers, Daughters, and Acidman
In Acidman, Maggie (Agron) has been in the hunt for her father Lloyd. At the start of the film, her efforts have lastly paid off, as she tracked him down and found he has been dwelling in isolation inside the woods. Why precisely the 2 are estranged is a little bit of thriller, put aside for what’s to return when she arrives at his house.
She learns shortly that each evening, her father makes the trek up a hill together with his canine to have a look at what he thinks are aliens. He has turn into satisfied that UFOs with aliens in them are actual, therefore why he selected to dwell within the woods, and believes that the blinking pink lights he sees within the distance every evening are them making an attempt to speak with him.
It is throughout these moments that Maggie realizes her father’s psychological well being just isn’t what it was once. Despite her coming to satisfy him to move on an necessary message, although, she finds herself unable to have a correct dialog with him. Perhaps her process would have been quite a bit simpler if she had been an alien, however in Acidman, the folks round Lloyd, just like the closest neighbors and close by townsfolk, all consider he’s the extraterrestrial entity haunting the woods.
That is the place the identify ‘Acidman’ comes from; it’s a nickname bestowed upon him by the folks dwelling round there. So not solely is Lloyd by himself in his house, however he’s the goal of jokes and ostracized by the folks dwelling round him.
Putting the Fun in Dysfunctional
Conflict manifests by way of this; whereas there’s the emotional battle between Maggie and her father, a bunch of neighborhood youngsters reveals up and vandalizes his home, offering extra gasoline to maintain the film going past makes an attempt between the daddy and daughter to speak to one another. At first, issues go considerably nicely – the conversations will not be lengthy, however they’re having them. But because the film progresses, Lloyd ultimately confronts his daughter and asks her the actual cause she has come to go to.
It turns into apparent right here he has intentionally compelled himself to stroll away from the folks he has identified, turning into the Acidman the children wish to mock and a believer in conspiracy theories. As his daughter involves try to reconnect with him, Lloyd hovers between desirous to reciprocate the care whereas additionally pulling away to dwell the identical approach he has been.
Depicting dysfunctional families in movies just isn’t a brand new idea, however Aidan reveals Lloyd and Maggie making an attempt to work together with one another in the one methods they know easy methods to. The viewers might not know the complete extent of why Lloyd left his household behind, however with the items of knowledge scattered all through the film, inferences might be made as to what the reality could also be. There are previous particulars to supply some motion from the emotionally wrought scenes of the daddy and daughter, giving some perception into their shared previous, however these two characters may be those to lastly break the generational trauma and begin one thing new.
Solid Acting Strengthens a Weak Script
It is not possible to disclaim that in Acidman, Church’s Lloyd turns into the anchor preserving the movie afloat. Church does a wonderful job making the script and character come alive, though his character turns into a little bit of a mythological being himself. He is the lore of the city, the explanation why folks begin to whisper once they hear the identify Acidman.
However, ultimately, he begins to succumb to the identical therapy that Maggie has as a personality: there merely just isn’t sufficient context to emotionally hook audiences into rooting for and believing in these characters. As a viewer, we’re not too certain why Maggie got here to search out her father and even the explanation why they fell out all these years in the past. Considering she is looking for the explanation for that, too, it may be a bit unsatisfying to by no means dig deeper into it. Sure, maybe it’s not really essential to know all the main points, however Maggie and Lloyd turn into static characters because of it.
Church is mesmerizing as Lloyd, nailing down his mannerisms to make a convincing portrayal of a person who not solely believes in beings past this earth, however is slowly succumbing to the impacts of loneliness and isolation. One might take all of the alien references to turn into a metaphor for one thing else, that possibly Lloyd looks like because of his situation and life’s circumstances he’s alone and the one individuals who might hear him are past this planet. While additionally being bodily remoted from folks, he’s emotionally and mentally remoted as nicely, making life almost certainly worse for him.
Relevant however Empty
On the alternative hand, all one is aware of about Maggie is that she lately left a relationship with a person named Ben. The tragedy of Acidman has a number of layers. One is that Maggie and Lloyd by no means actually had closure within the sense they may turn into shut as a father and a daughter. While Lloyd demonstrates vulnerability in a number of scenes all through the film, it appears unlikely that the 2 will ever really be capable to assemble a relationship with one another.
The different facet of Acidman’s tragedy comes with the truth that Maggie is unable to exist with out the lads in her life. Throughout the film, her complete cause for current on this story is the very fact she needs to search out her father. She presents no function or motivation for a lot else exterior of that, leaving Agron little to work with as an actor.
Acidman presents themes which are very related right now, whether or not it’s about dad and mom rising outdated or what occurs when psychological well being and other people go unchecked. However, the movie fails to transcend the superficial dialogue of those themes on the display screen. It resides largely within the current second, selecting to not return to the previous and as an alternative deal with the makes an attempt between the 2 to bond, or conversations they’ve whereas utilizing the canine as a medium to start out stated dialog.
Acidman’s pacing takes its time in getting there, however it’s all in regards to the journey of attending to that time. Those in search of some motion or battle, although, may discover themselves disillusioned by the drama – although the performing is to be admired.
Acidman can be launched on March 31, 2023.