James White-2015

Director Josh Mond

Starring Christopher Abbott

Scott’s Review #465

Reviewed August 15, 2016

Grade: A

A warm feeling always strikes me, and my faith in the film is reaffirmed when I watch an interesting independent film (or mainstream studio film, for that matter) that has the guts to tell a dark, character-driven story, and does it very well, with sympathetic characters written exceptionally well.

2015’s James White is an appreciative look at life and death, and how the main characters deal with life’s roadblocks and the effects of death.

This film is quite dark, however.

A fantastic young actor, Christopher Abbott, plays the title character of James White.

We meet James in a loud nightclub, wearing headphones, with soft music mixing interestingly with the pounding beats of the club music.

The audience immediately can tell that James is wound up, aggressive, and troubled. His estranged father has just died, and while he is not too upset by his father’s death, he cares deeply for his mother, Gail, and is worried about her.

No sooner has a service, hosted by the father’s new wife, been held than we learn that Gail is suffering from stage four cancer and will not live much longer.

The film follows James as he deals with his problems, from his mother’s illness to finding a job, a rocky relationship with a teen girl, and his reflections on his life, all while filled with rage.

The film spans three months, culminating in the dead of winter, an obvious irony.

Abbott and Nixon give astounding performances as son and mother, the apple of each other’s eye, and show how they each deal with Gail’s inevitable, impending death.

James is bottled up with anger throughout the film and frequently needs to escape before losing it.

In one amazing scene, though, he does lose it during a drunken hotel bender with pals Nick and Jayne. The sheer emotion and desperation Christopher Abbott brings to this scene are inspirational for any aspiring actor to emulate.

One wonders if director Josh Mond allowed his actors to improvise most scenes, as the compelling, raw feeling of the scenes is evident.

Since her fame on television’s Sex And The City, Nixon has chosen daring, complex roles, and this is to her credit.

As Gail, we see her desperate, emotional, filled with rage, and at times delusional, as she wonders what will become of her son after she is gone and how her world has spiraled out of control.

We also see Nixon successfully play motherly, coaching her son through his anger and pleading with him to take care of her. It is a powerful performance.

Two slight knocks to the film: James’s best friend Nick is gay (and black), but despite their different sexual orientations, they are the closest of friends.

While this aspect earns heaps of praise, we know very little about Nick, his family, or his inner feelings.

James’s new girlfriend Jayne is also a mystery. She is significantly younger and dutiful, but what motivates her?

Yet, given the film’s very short runtime (one hour and twenty-seven minutes), I can see why the filmmakers chose to focus on the mother/son relationship.

A slight criticism.

A film such as James White (2015) is purely character-driven and must be enormously rewarding for actors to play these two raw characters.

Painful for anyone dealing with a loved one suffering from cancer to watch, but a fantastic journey into the world of wonderful acting and dynamic screenwriting.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations: Best Male Lead-Christopher Abbott, Best Supporting Female-Cynthia Nixon, Best First Feature