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Review #364 of 365
Movie Review of Off the Black (2006) [R] 90 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.25
Where Viewed: Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 11 January 2007
Time: 7:50 p.m.
Film's Official Website
DVD Release Date: 17 April 2007
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Directed by: James Ponsoldt (Junebug and Hurricane)
Written by: James Ponsoldt (Junebug and Hurricane)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Trevor Morgan (The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio) • Nick Nolte (Peaceful Warrior) • Sonia Feigelson (debut) • Rosemarie DeWitt (Shut Up and Sing) • Timothy Hutton (The Good Shepherd) • Sally Kirkland (Adam & Steve) • Michael Higgins (Swimfan)
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Ever wonder what ever happened to Tommy Tammisimo, the little kid who invites Cole to his birthday party in the Academy Award®-winning Sixth Sense? Well, Ma, little Trevor Morgan is all grown up now, and though he's been in quite a few films since including Jurassic Park III, The Rookie, The Glass House, and The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio; Off the Black is the now twenty-year old actor's first leading role. While unusual, the focus of this review will be on him because he delivers on of those incredibly rare, coming of age performances like those of The Outsiders boys that launched the careers of some little names like Cruise, Swayze, Estevez, Lowe, and Macchio, that if dissected, analyzed, studied, and examined reveals the absolutely stunning and incredible vulnerability involved in the curious metamorphosis of the adolescent boy into a sensitive-hearted but hardened-exoskeleton of a man. Parents of boys may observe this transformation process a few times, high school teachers who teach in small enough schools where they might teach students throughout their ages of 15-17/18 may see this process hundreds of times. For every single one of them, the process is remarkably the same, but the outcome for each can turn out entirely different depending on the circumstances and support each receives through the process. And this is the substance of the James Ponsoldt screenplay, which he also directs. The story concerns a little league pitcher, Dave Tibble (Trevor Morgan), who loses in a playoff game when the umpire, Ray Cooke (Nick Nolte), calls his last pitch a ball effectively walking in the winning run, decides with some friends later that evening to seek revenge on the umpire by vandalizing his yard and car. They do not anticipate that Cooke will be home at the time, a little under the influence of a Post-It® note-imposed, three-beer limit, wielding a loaded handgun. He rushes out catching the ski-mask-wearing boys in the act, but only gets his hands on Dave. After talking to the boy and realizing that a call to the police will solve nothing, he enters into an unlikely contract whereby if the boy agrees to clean up the yard and repair the broken car window, he'll overlook reporting this to the officials and getting Dave in even more trouble. At first, of course, Dave is eager to get the job done, but skeptical of Ray in general. To him, Ray's a washed up old man who never accomplished much in life while he's a young guy with his whole future ahead of himself. As things progress though, it becomes clear that Dave's life is not as rosey as the semi-tough guy image he puts out. His mother split a few years ago leaving him, his sister Ashley (Sonia Feigelson), and his father (Timothy Hutton) to fend for themselves. This is hardest on Dave because his aloof father literally shuts down. Meanwhile, Ray too has plenty of baggage from his past and recent news that he's got not much more time left on his lease on life from a doctor who says, "It's not a matter of whether we operate, but where we start." After receiving an invitation to his 40th high school reunion, and after developing a sensible, benevolent friendship with Dave, he extends the confines of their previous contract. He estimates the damage to his car is over $200, and offers Dave an easy out. All he has to do is agree to go to the reunion and pose as his son—but with no 'hippy hair'. Confused and angered by the proposition, Dave flees Ray's home, but later, after a meaningless conversation with his own father, decides to return and agree to the proposal. He does want to help Ray out. As their relationship grows, all too aware of stories of nefarious purposes of creepy people and amidst razzing by schoolmates who spot his truck parked outside of Ray's house, Dave continues to grow in his relationship with Ray needing a fatherly influence and realizing that Ray, really, in only interested in coaching him in life and fulfilling a fatherly void. The two bond as Ray takes him fishing, to baseball games, and lets him in on some of life's little secrets. The two drink a few beers now and then, which is definitely not to Ray's health benefit; but it helps him hide away, so he thinks, from some of the pain he bears. He's never forthcoming with Dave about why he's got so much pain and disappointment. Dave's eyes are opened wide when the two finally head off, dressed in suits, to the reunion with a stop at the nursing home that houses Ray's own father, Al (Michael Higgins), along the way. Eventually, Dave will wantonly face Ray's demons with him, and deal with the importance of and his dependence on their bond despite anything that anyone might think about it.
"…reveals the absolutely stunning and incredible vulnerability involved in the curious metamorphosis of the adolescent boy into a sensitive-hearted but hardened-exoskeleton of a man."
Nick Nolte's performance, especially on the heels of his mentorship role in Peaceful Warrior, while quite good, was far less a challenge for the veteran actor than this break out role by Trevor Morgan. The film would need to be seen several times to fully grasp the complexity of the delivery of his performance. I counted no fewer than half a dozen times when the unexpected inflection in his voice and the contrasting juxtaposed expression on his face revealed quite clearly the constant epic struggle boys experience during this metamorphosis between wanting to grow up and be a man with all of the rights, privileges and maybe not so much the responsibilities, while simultaneously just needing a hug and to be told by their dad they're a cool little kid. Too many adult males know all too well that at some point in their lives they had to make a choice to either abandon the nagging urge to please their fathers or die trying. And why do fathers find it so hard to say the two simple words that would make it all so easy, "I approve."? It's as if uttering these words will suddenly and irrevocably end their reign or emasculate them. Trevor Morgan, whether consciously or based on shear instinct, has captured the incredible complexity of this time in a boy's development and subsequent emergence. His natural acting gifts make him capable of understanding and projecting the power of the situation. Clearly, without the influence of Ray on Dave, he would turn out a very different young man. Ray, however, has the courage, maybe because he actually is not Dave's father to give him both the hug and the "I approve" Dave desperately needs.
"…a rare, quintessential father-son film."
For so many reasons, not the least of which was James Ponsoldt incredible understanding of his characters both on and off the page, Nick Nolte's tender yet salty performance, and Trevor Morgan's breathtaking portrayal of the emergence of a sensitive, good-hearted young man, I adored Off the Black, a rare, quintessential father-son film.
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Other Projects Featuring Off the Black (2006)
Cast Members
Trevor Morgan
• Nick Nolte • Sonia FeigelsonRosemarie DeWitt
• Timothy Hutton • Sally KirklandMichael Higgins
Writer / Director
James Ponsoldt
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