I suppose it’s inevitable that this film be compared to 2006’s Stranger Than Fiction, but it’s really not the same kind of beast. It’s true that the central conceit of both is the same: a fictional creation becomes self-aware, taking on a life of its own, but that’s where the similarities end. Fiction is at heart a Will Ferrell vehicle and, while amusing enough, is contained by those modest ambitions. Lovely By Surprise sets its sights higher, as an exploration of loss and grief and through them, the process of literary creation.
In Fiction, the tale is told from Ferrell’s character’s point of view, thus limiting the ambiguity of the tale. We see Ferrell, we hear the voice of the narrator in his head, and we know from pretty near the outset that he is not crazy, that indeed he is a character in another person’s novel. Lovely is told from a rather more interesting place, from the author’s point of view, and we don’t know whether she’s imagining things or not, whether her belief that one of her characters is aware that he’s being written is true, or whether it’s the product of a troubled mind.
Carrie Preston is Marian, a writer in the throes of creating a first novel. As the film opens, she is relating the plot to her teacher Jackson (Austin Pendleton), and as she introduces her characters, we are introduced to them too: Mopekey (Dallas Roberts) and Humkin (Michael Chernus) are brothers living on a houseboat in the middle of a barren field. They survive on cereal and milk, and have no first-hand knowledge of the outside world. Mopekey has no curiousity, no desire to find out what’s beyond the bounds of their little world. Humkin, on the other hand, does: he yearns to be free of the house-boat bounds, and sets about planning to leave.
Marian’s story is intercut with another, set several decades earlier, wherein car salesman Bob (Reg Rogers) is having trouble getting over the death of his wife. It has so discombobulated him that he cannot bear to do the things necessary to sell cars, and ends up counseling customers, and sending them away empty-handed. This does not set well with his manager Dave (Richard Masur), who tells him he’ll be fired if he doesn’t get his act together. But Bob’s problems aren’t limited to the car lot: at home, his daughter Mimi (Lena Lamer) hasn’t spoken since her mother died, and Bob cannot find his sea-legs as a single father.
Meanwhile, Marian tells Jackson that Humkin knows he is being written, that he knows he is being controlled. Jackson assumes that it’s all part of her process, and advises her to kill him off, which she is loathe to do . . . and I’d better not give away any more plot points. Although Lovely isn’t a film built around a big “gotcha” surprise, one of its significant pleasures is figuring out how it all fits together.
Another of its pleasures is first-time director Kirt Gunn’s sure handling of his actors: he elicits fine performances from most of them, particularly the old pros. Pendleton is the very model of the toothily oily professor, more interested in getting into Marian’s pants than teaching her to write. Rogers captures the careful speech and mannered movements of a man who is just going through the motions, who is 
doing what’s expected of him on the outside, but hasn’t a clue within. Although Preston is adequate as Marian, her characterization lacks a certain depth that would make it truly stand out. I always felt I was seeing her wheels turning, seeing the actor act, as it were. Roberts’ and Chernus’ scenes on the boat seemed a little “actor’s-studio improv,” as if they were given a scenario — You’re man-children! Who like cereal! — and told to wing it. However, once Humkin departs the boat, Chernus comes into his own, delivering funny, off-the wall lines with sincerity and gusto.
Gunn and his director of photography Steve Yedlin evoke the chilly winter scenery of Memphis and — I presume — the Mississippi River Delta of Arkansas to great effect. In particular, Memphis has a 70s feel that goes well with Eden Miller’s leisure-suited costume designs. Mention should also be made of Timothy Whidbee’s witty production design, which not only accurately reproduces a 1970s-era used-care lot, but draws subtle visual connections between the various story-lines and periods within the film.
I must admit that at first, I found it all a bit precious, a bit high concept: I mean, key characters are named Humkin and Mopekey, for God’s sake. But as Lovely By Surprise unspooled, and the shape of its puzzle became clear, I found myself drawn into its world. I was absorbed by its characters, and how their lives turned out. I cared whether Marian killed off her main character, and whether Bob would get his used-car mojo back. And though it is an obvious pun, I was surprised at how much it all mattered to me. If you’re in the mood for a quirky indie, with a bit of depth under the hood and an ending that is satisfying and not entirely expected, you should check it out. You won’t be disappointed.
Lovely By Surprise will be released on DVD July 7; you can visit the web-site here.
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Rick – As you probably know, I reviewed the film a couple of weeks ago, and I had the same reaction you did. Marian was the weak link, and I can’t understand why exactly.
I admire both of you: I had to bail out after the first forty-five numbing minutes. Normally I’d see any film through to the end, but I found this to be particularly suffocating, pointless, and as you say, precious… to a fault. The DVD distributor sent me a review copy; he’s been emailing me, asking “where’s the review?” but I’m at a loss for both words and patience.
Marilyn, I know what you mean … there was something about it that didn’t gel. The closest I could come to it was that she looked like she was acting … it didn’t seem genuine or something.
I hear you, Ray. It took some time for me to get into it, but I ended up liking it a fair amount. It did take me the first act, though …
Ray – I didn’t have a problem with the film. I found it intriguing enough to stay with it, and really loved the car dealership scenes. The film builds momentum, but it just doesn’t dive deep enough.
Just tell the distributor the truth. I find they can accept criticism, unlike one filmmaker who is on my permanent shit list.
Ray, just copy and paste Rick’s review to satisfy the distributor. Rick won’t mind, I do it to him all the time.
And I still haven’t seen it even though, as I told Marilyn, I performed on stage with Preston and would like to see more of her work on film. I of course have no work on film to see because I chose the wise path of doing nothing after college except for working in retail. I’m a genius.
Greg, you use all my stuff? No WONDER you have so many readers …
If you’d seen it, it would have been a miracle. It played some festivals and not much more.
Marilyn, at least you got blurbed on their website. I wrote those last two lines to be blurb-ready, to see if I could get it done. Alas, no …
Hey, you were both blurbed on the homepage! Only your penultimate sentence though, Rick. I got buried, quite comfortably, in the Accolades section.
I didn’t see fit to mention this in my review, but at the beginning I felt a lot like Flickhead and Rick. By the end I was really sold, though. I think this is one that’s worth sitting through.
Well, they printed the entirety of Iain Stott’s one-line review, so I guess it shows US.
Testing.
1, 2, 3, 4…
Ok. I had a glitch where I was thrown out for some supremely odd reason.
Moving on…
Sorry, Rick. Hah hah.
I hate to make the inevitable actors’ entrance. But I had precious little to contribute to this thread until now.
Yeah, I received a screener too. (Sounds like most of us did.)
I hate to go against the prevailing wisdom, but I’m firmly in Flickhead’s camp. I did watch it in its entirety. But it just wasn’t for me.
These things happen. I was polite and tactful about it. But that’s basically what I told the gentleman who sent it to me.
But I’m thrilled that people made the home page with their quotes. Even those individuals that were apparently buried in the Accolades section got their due.
I’m so proud of y’all. I’ll have to check that out.
Greg, you ARE a genius, honey.
You know…
If you’d like to take a look at more of Carrie Preston’s film work, you should see DUPLICITY. It’s my #1 film of the year so far. I’ve seen it ten times and I’m thrilled that it’s coming to our vintage 30s jewel of a discount cinema so I can have a couple more chances to revel in it.
Yeah, I am a passionate die hard.
Carrie plays a small town southern girl who gets in between Julia Roberts and Clive Owen and puts further strain on their rocky and tempestuous romance. The two of them are spies who are now involved in corporate espionage.
Carrie has one hysterical scene with Julia. For that alone, she should get an Oscar nomination. Comedy is brutally hard to do well.
That was the first time I’d seen her in anything. I was very impressed.
I have no idea if you’d like it or not. But I’m just putting it out there. It hits DVD shelves in a couple of weeks – the middle of July, I believe.
No one is paying me to say this. Believe it or not. It’s just information. Do with it what you will.
Just thought I’d get a plug in for Carrie and my favourite film of 2009, Rick.
You know what they say. Nothing ventured…
Miranda, I’ll probably see “Duplicity” when it comes on DVD … but you know, Carrie Preston has a regular role on HBO’s True Blood. She’s barely recognizable, playing a stereotypical, red-head, deep-South bar and grill waitress.
I think when you get a screener, it’s fair game to write whatever review you think is appropriate. I liked the film well enough, but if I didn’t I probably would have written a review saying so. They take their chances when they invite us to see it.
Now, Flickhead didn’t make it through, and so not reviewing it was only fair.
Rick, that’s awesome. I didn’t know that Carrie was on TRUE BLOOD. That show is getting a ton of excellent buzz.
Good for her.
Well, despite my take no prisoners attitude, I can be rather a genteel lady, Mr. Olson. Surprised…?
It just depends on my mood.
But this is my way of thinking…
The vast majority of people in publicity or distribution would prefer that the word gets out on their product in any way possible. A negative review is still a few hundred words (at least) about the film. Even if you loathed it, you’re still talking about it and allowing readers to know that it exists. They may or may not hear about it otherwise.
I have definite opinions. As you well know. Don’t have time to mince words. So I always ask people if they would prefer that I proceed in a negative instance or not.
I need to know because I will be honest no matter what.
But in this case, the gentleman in question and I spoke and came to the conclusion that he would prefer that I not formulate a review if it wasn’t solidly positive.
That seemed fair to me. I wouldn’t have had the screener in the first place if it wasn’t for him.
I would prefer to give people that option. I know that Craig does the same thing.
But that’s just me…
Rick…
I should clarify completely by stating that if you’ve ever read any of the 50 odd film reviews at my site, I pull absolutely no punches.
There are some one star reviews that are pretty damn scathing and I have several two star critiques that are tough as nails.
But I paid to see all of those movies. So that’s where the difference is.
I actually went to a screening, though they offered a screener to me.
I have a hard time panning films, though I know some people enjoy it immensely. It takes so much work to think about and write a review, plus finding and posting the right photos, that I don’t like to waste it on a mediocre film. Plus, I need to be inspired with something – like, love, hate – to get the words flowing. I HATED Avanti!, and that fueled me enough to write about it. But other films just don’t make that big an impression on me.
Marilyn, I totally understand where you’re coming from.
It’s usually the extremes that allow you to be passionate and feel inspired. One way or the other.
I enjoyed your review of LBS very much (as well as Rick’s and Danny’s) even though I was much less enthused about it at the end of the day as compared to the three of you.
It’s always fascinating to read other peoples’ impressions. It’s not at all necessary to share them.
And I would have much preferred to have attended a screening rather than to watch a DVD at chez Wilding. That option was technically available to me. But LBS wasn’t set to go at any of my local movie houses.
It’s fortunate that you live in Chicago, Marilyn. That’s quite the sophisticated metropolis from what I understand. There’s always something interesting going on there – and not just in the arts related sectors either.
Marilyn, the films that I see that I don’t like are generally at my local multiplex, which is all we have here in Tuscaloosa-land. The ones I watch on DVD tend to be self-selected, in that I won’t even rent one I don’t think I’m going to like.
Miranda, Seems like a good policy to work it out between you and the distributor. Kudos.
You know what movie I really like? Avanti!. Boy that’s a good movie. It’s insights into women and feminism are unmatched.
Me too! I especially like it when Millie the flower girl dies, and all the friends she never had show up at her funeral, and pay for her cats to be spayed. I liked that part the best.
Nice review Rick. The only place I moderately disagree is your thoughts on Preston. I thought she was terrific, though I do think the character isn’t as sensitively drawn as Bob. The way things turn out in the story, this becomes a bit of a problem.
I sort of wanted to gas Humkin and Mopekey at first. I take that back. At first they were funny and THEN I wanted to gas them, but as you say, when Humkin escapes he literaly comes to life. I particularly loved how he bonded with Mimi…the only one who could possibly get through to her because they exist on the same mental plane. In the end I really warmed up to him.
I liked Humkin a lot too, and I think it has a lot to do with Michael Chernus’ great performance. He packs a lot of depth into the role, especially as he becomes integrated into Bob’s family.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this film. I’m a fan of Carrie Preston, no question, and even if they aren’t quite the same sort of beast, I really fell for Stranger than Fiction. It’s a movie that just gets better for me each time I see it. I know I’m in the minority on that one, though.
Good review.
I already plan to check out Duplicity when I get a chance, Miranda, but I didn’t realize you’d seen it 10 times! No one will ever say you were a woman of mild passions.
And yeah, she’s great on True Blood. Perfectly cast for that role.
Jennybee, I too like “Stranger than Fiction,” I thought it got fairly decent reviews, as well … It had a great cast and some sharp writing, so what wasn’t to like?
I’m a total sucker for Stranger than Fiction, though I agree this film operates on a totally different level. I think Lovely has a lot more on its mind whereas I take StF as pretty straight forward entertainment. That’s not a slight. I can’t think of a clearer recent example of a movie where I went in in a blue mood and came out with a smile. Fiction was ultimately more satisfying I think than LBS, but LBS is reaching for more and is richer.
I think you’re right, Craig. No slight to “Stranger,” which, as I told Jennybee, I liked just fine. It’s just that Lovely By Design is up to more than that. Nothing wrong with that, either.
jenny, I can not tell a lie.
Anyone that knows me well (on the net or off) is fully aware that the middle of the road is not for me.
Some people just have to live their lives with a particular kind of intensity. It’s not something you choose.
It just is.
I have no idea what you’d think of LBS (or DUPLICITY).
In terms of our circle, I seem to be out of the loop on the former. Rick and Craig obviously thought highly of it…and they’re both sharp dudes.
Hopefully you’ll enjoy them when you see them. Though (aside from both being comedies technically) they’re totally different propositions film wise.
Have fun…