We’ve all had a Hesher in our life at one time or another. Someone who, on the surface at least, does not live by the rules of society or really care that they even exist. They have their own way of doing things. They seem to live by some secret code that begins and ends with one rule “f@*$ the man”. Most people who see “Hesher” coming their way would cross the street, go out of their way to avoid eye contact, and generally do their best to avoid them all together in their day to day life. Personally I embrace the “Hesher’s” of the world. I see them as a necessary yin to the mostly boring yang of our daily lives. They provide an important counterbalance to the daily 9 to 5 culture that bores most people into an early grave and without them the world would be a much less interesting place. Maybe that’s why I enjoyed “Hesher” so much. It allowed me the opportunity to peek inside the life of this person, and live a little, even if that life isn’t exactly what you think it might me.
“Hesher” is a simple story of a young boy aptly played by Devin Brochu who is trying to keep it together after the death of his mother but failing miserably. His father, played by a bearded Rainn Wilson, has sunk so deeply into depression that he can barely be bothered to get off the couch. His interactions with his son are uncomfortable to watch. They find themselves so filled with loss and confusion that they can no longer communicate and most conversations simply erupt in to arguments that spiral out of control. This fractured family is on a path to certain destruction when “Hesher” shows up and turns an already ugly situation completely on it’s head.
Let’s talk for a moment about Joseph Gordon-Levitt. We all remember him from his early work including 3rd Rock From the Sun and 10 Things I Hate About You, but over the past few years he’s become a solid actor. He’s built quite a name for himself as a talent who can hold his own on screen with some of the biggest names in Hollywood but has also embraced the indy movie scene and taken roles in smaller films that have really allowed him to shine. The character he created for this film is iconic and is a role that people will look back on when they discuss roles that define an actor in much the same way that Travis Bickle defined Robert De Niro for a generation.
Hesher is a destructive force of nature who, for better or worse, brings chaos to all those around him. When he encounters the Forneys, they are on their last leg. T.J. is headed down a bad path and is being bullied by an older kid who is forcing him into a corner where if something doesn’t happen for T.J., his only escape very well may be a violent one. Paul Forney is dead inside. His wife is gone and he doesn’t know how to live without her. The Forneys attempt to attend group therapy session but it only seems to make things worse. They are not able to deal with the pain inside and watching others try to deal with theirs only makes things worse. This is where Hesher comes into play. He turns their world on it’s head, forcing them to deal with things they would rather not talk about in a way that seems totally insane but probably is the only to save them.
The supporting actors who were cast in this film are nothing short of a miracle. Who would have thought Natalie Portman could play a mousey, unattractive, first rate loser so well. Put on a pair of thick rimmed glasses, take away the make up and well groomed hair and all the glitz and glam of Hollywood quickly disappears leaving us with nothing but her first rate acting chops. Portman plays a part time cashier at a neighborhood grocery store whose only goal in life is to get enough hours at her crappy job so she can pay her rent and not end up living in her car. She shows up at just the right moment to rescue T.J. from his bully and sets in action a chain of events that will either lead T.J. to salvation or ultimate destruction.
This is a movie that will split a lot of people down the middle, you will probably either love this movie or hate it. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Hesher character is going to piss off a lot of people because he’s rude, crude, crass, has some joyfully bad home made tattoos, listens to his music much too loud, and spends an awful lot of time pushing peoples buttons. Some of us will not relate to or understand why he does what he does throughout this movie and will not like him because of it. They will see him as simply a troublemaker, much they way the would probably see him in real life and that’s ok. This movie is not for every one. There’s a certain amount of people who will dismiss this movie for who Hesher is, what he looks like, and what the chaos he brings, but there is also a group of people out there who will embrace this movie for exactly who Hesher is, and that’s an amazing character who makes us uncomfortable at times, makes us angry, breaks our hearts and confuses us but also makes us laugh, makes us root for him, makes us wish we could be more like him and tell people what we really feel and live the life we really want to live. I am one of those people and hope you are too.
In the latest installment of the Twilight saga, Breaking Dawn pt.1. You finally get to see the much anticipated “for twilight fanatics” wedding between Bella and Edward. Much to my surprise didn’t disappoint, with fantastic special effects and slight comic relief this was definitely a solid performance by a developing cast and the best of the saga thus far. The special features include audio commentary with Director Bill Condon, a fascinating 6 part documentary on the making of breaking dawn-part 1, Take a look into Jacobs Destiny, relive all of your favorite moments of Edward and Bella’s wedding with their personal wedding video, and a jump to option to watch only your favorite scenes of the movie over and over. Blu-ray really brings this movie to life with the stunning quality and is definitely a must own for your personal library.
