Starring: Rory Culkin, Kieran Culkin, Alec Baldwin, Emma Roberts, Cynthia Nixon, Timothy Hutton
Directed By: Derick Martini
Written By: Derek & Steven Martini
Grade: B
Lymelife is a coming of age film set in 1970s suburbia. It’s loosely based on writer/director, Derick Martini’s childhood. He co-wrote the film with brother, Steven Martini, and dedicated it to their late grandparents. The script was developed in 2001’s Sundance’s Filmmakers Lab program and 7 years later premiered at the festival.
Scott (Rory Culkin) is a 15-year old kid, going through a lot despite how things may look on the outside. He gets beat up at school because his father has a nice car and his bullies figure they can squeeze some money out of him. His lifelong friend and crush, Adrianna (Roberts), tries to help, but just embarrasses him in front of his bullies with her motherly concern. Adriana will flirt with Scott a little here and there, but he fears one of these days he is going to lose her to one of the older guys she always seems far more interested in. Scott brighten up a bit when older brother, Jimmy (Kieran Culkin), comes back home from the army. When he finds out what happened to Scott he beats the guy responsible until Scott himself has to pull him off of him. Before long he learns that the brother who he admires so much may not be living the life of bravery in combat that Scott thought he did.
Scott slowly learns that every one close to him may have secrets of their own. He finds out that
his father (Baldwin) is having an affair with Adrianna’s mother (Nixon), who is also is in a broken marriage. Her husband (Hutton) has lyme disease, leaving his wife to be the breadwinner. Scott’s father thinks supporting his family should be enough. He’s a fairly absent father and is never there for his wife, making her very lonely, regretful, and weak. Scott finally sees the reason for this when he always just thought she was crazy. All of Scott’s remodels have fallen, leaving him to face life on his own.
I liked Rory Culkin here, but I wish he would have shown a little more personality, emotion, and screen presence as Scott. There was a shy awkwardness in the character, but it would have been easier to feel for him and go along on this journey with Scott if he was a slightly more active and alive character. Kieran Culkin gave a great performance as Jimmy. He had a lot of presence and versatility, hitting the intense, emotional to the lighthearted charismatic scenes. He was funny and enjoyable to watch, but exposed more of the depth and vulnerabilities of his character than any one else. Alec Baldwin really did well in exposing the flaws of the American dream, which was one of the main focuses of the film. His character was successful and he provided for his family, getting them in to a better neighborhood where his kids could do better. Of course, one resorts to the army, not knowing what else to do with his life while the other gets beat up even though they are out of the rough neighborhood they once lived in. Baldwin shows how much his character struggles with the failure he has brought upon his family despite the financial success he has obtained. At moments he just seems like a cheating scum who isn’t there for his family. Through other moments we see that he just doesn’t know how to be there for him and now it might very well be too late.
Directed By: Derick Martini
Written By: Derek & Steven Martini
Grade: B
Lymelife is a coming of age film set in 1970s suburbia. It’s loosely based on writer/director, Derick Martini’s childhood. He co-wrote the film with brother, Steven Martini, and dedicated it to their late grandparents. The script was developed in 2001’s Sundance’s Filmmakers Lab program and 7 years later premiered at the festival.
Scott (Rory Culkin) is a 15-year old kid, going through a lot despite how things may look on the outside. He gets beat up at school because his father has a nice car and his bullies figure they can squeeze some money out of him. His lifelong friend and crush, Adrianna (Roberts), tries to help, but just embarrasses him in front of his bullies with her motherly concern. Adriana will flirt with Scott a little here and there, but he fears one of these days he is going to lose her to one of the older guys she always seems far more interested in. Scott brighten up a bit when older brother, Jimmy (Kieran Culkin), comes back home from the army. When he finds out what happened to Scott he beats the guy responsible until Scott himself has to pull him off of him. Before long he learns that the brother who he admires so much may not be living the life of bravery in combat that Scott thought he did.
Scott slowly learns that every one close to him may have secrets of their own. He finds out that
his father (Baldwin) is having an affair with Adrianna’s mother (Nixon), who is also is in a broken marriage. Her husband (Hutton) has lyme disease, leaving his wife to be the breadwinner. Scott’s father thinks supporting his family should be enough. He’s a fairly absent father and is never there for his wife, making her very lonely, regretful, and weak. Scott finally sees the reason for this when he always just thought she was crazy. All of Scott’s remodels have fallen, leaving him to face life on his own.I liked Rory Culkin here, but I wish he would have shown a little more personality, emotion, and screen presence as Scott. There was a shy awkwardness in the character, but it would have been easier to feel for him and go along on this journey with Scott if he was a slightly more active and alive character. Kieran Culkin gave a great performance as Jimmy. He had a lot of presence and versatility, hitting the intense, emotional to the lighthearted charismatic scenes. He was funny and enjoyable to watch, but exposed more of the depth and vulnerabilities of his character than any one else. Alec Baldwin really did well in exposing the flaws of the American dream, which was one of the main focuses of the film. His character was successful and he provided for his family, getting them in to a better neighborhood where his kids could do better. Of course, one resorts to the army, not knowing what else to do with his life while the other gets beat up even though they are out of the rough neighborhood they once lived in. Baldwin shows how much his character struggles with the failure he has brought upon his family despite the financial success he has obtained. At moments he just seems like a cheating scum who isn’t there for his family. Through other moments we see that he just doesn’t know how to be there for him and now it might very well be too late.
Emma Roberts did very well as Adrianna, capturing the flirtatious and unattainable love interest, the longtime best friend, and the motherly role, always looking out for Scott. It was definitely a different role and completely different material for her. She has proved her range and I hope she does more material like this in the future. Timothy Hutton does very well as the miserable, infected, and ignored husband and father. All the misery that is suggested in suburbia is encompassed in him.Lymelife shows fleshed out, realistic characters. They are all flawed; this is part of their misery, but it also part of life no matter where or how you live. Scott slowly realizes that his idealized perception of those closest to him is naïve. Meanwhile, Scott’s father’s life suddenly falls apart, forcing him to acknowledge that while he thinks he has achieved the American dream, his life has still ended up being a mess. This negatively impacts his kids who he wanted a better life for. Scott’s mother has dealt with her bad marriage behind closed doors, desperate to keep up appearances even to her own kids who clearly know everything isn’t as perfect as their parents claim it to be. Jimmy even lets people think he is fighting when he is really in the communications department so he can project a sense of pride. Like another failed father figure, he too wants something better for Scott.
I think the film could have been stronger if there would have been more acknowledgment and 
confronting of some of the issues especially by our main character since at times he feels passive. Part of the problem in the mess that life has become for many of these people is that they felt they had to hide and conceal things while pretending everything was fine. Divorce and showing your vulnerabilities and flaws weren’t as prevalent during this time so the lack of some confrontation still works. Lymelife takes a look at the misery, troubles, and loneliness that contradicts the idealism of the American dream and the sunny side of Suburbia.
confronting of some of the issues especially by our main character since at times he feels passive. Part of the problem in the mess that life has become for many of these people is that they felt they had to hide and conceal things while pretending everything was fine. Divorce and showing your vulnerabilities and flaws weren’t as prevalent during this time so the lack of some confrontation still works. Lymelife takes a look at the misery, troubles, and loneliness that contradicts the idealism of the American dream and the sunny side of Suburbia. 
This is a very powerful little film. Thought it was pretty good. Great review.