DVD Review: Tell Them Who You Are (2004)
Director Mark Wexler's Tribute to His Famous Father Haskell
Dec 30, 2008 Rashelle Predovnik
Circling each other warily, this movie captures the ‘dance’ that ensues between two time Academy Award winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf) and his producer/writer/photojournalist son Mark Wexler.
Mark's debut documentary explores the essence of father and son relationships and his appreciation for subtle understatement and his ability to ‘show’ and not tell’ has resulted in a poignant, imperfect love story which has some surprisingly tender moments.
Establishing a Key Relationship
The film opens as Haskell loses his temper and challenges his son’s film making skills, which immediately establishes their relationship as difficult. Haskell expresses his desire for this film to be a catalyst to break down the walls that have developed between them yet the film largely documents Haskells’ difficulty with intimacy. Haskell often talks about the film making process and is clearly insecure and nervous about his son’s portrayal of him. Ultimately this mistrust is exemplified in his unwillingness to sign the films release form until he is satisfied with the content.
Unashamedly Emotional
Mark Wexler's writing and directing skills essentially captures the difficulty he feels connecting with his father. Here, we are presented with a father and son relationship fraught with personal differences and conflict. Admit a backdrop of famous films and faces, the dialogue (or the lack of) between the two men is central to the narrative. Fearing criticism, Haskell undermines and often lectures his son and chooses to ignore his son's feelings during a candid moment where Mark attempts to open up. Nevertheless, Haskell’s pain at their difference and lack of intimacy is evident in a number of his cantankerous outbursts. Alternatively, Mark chooses to reveal his sadness about their distance through a series of black and white photographs (of a very young and pensive Mark staring thoughtfully into space) which he presents to us after each ‘argument’ between them. The young Mark’s contemplative pose and wistful gaze (as captured in these stills) portrays his present emotional state.
Disconnection and Conflict
One sequence that reveals Mark’s resentment and frustration towards his father, is when Mark’s voice over plays over the top of one of Haskells famous anti government rants. This voice over tells us Marks true feelings and perspective of not being listened to, while simultaneously recreating the now deeply entrenched habit of both men talking at once, oblivious to each other‘s feelings. The truth of Haskells pain at his son’s lack of love and respect for him, and Marks sadness at his difficulty in getting close to his father is revealed indirectly, through arguments and conflicts that house deeper disappointments and pain that both are unwilling (or unsure of how) to address.
An Unexpected Breakthrough
The moment of true intimacy in this film is surprisingly not between Haskell and his son but between Haskell and his ex wife of 30 years. Powerful in its rawness, this unexpected scene takes place in a nursing home during a visit to Mark’s mum who has Alzheimer’s. In a rare moment of tenderness, Haskell suddenly breaks down and cradles the shell of a women who was once his wife. It is hard to ignore how powerfully real emotion translates onto a screen and later in the car, an emotional Haskell speaks candidly about his relationship with Marks mother. The walls have finally come down and in the closing sequences we see Haskell signing the release form.
DVD
|
Wexler
|
What do you think about this article?
More in Film & TV
Latest Articles