Written & Directed By: George Gallo
Grade: B
Local Color is a heartfelt coming of age film set in the 1970s, specifically during the summer that changed our protagonist’s life forever. We are given a voice over through the man looking back on his youth and all that he learned about art and life during the moments he takes us through. The film not only shows us how he grows through the time we are with him, but how his unlikely friend and mentor changes when he felt he had lost too much to ever feel so carefree again. The film shows us a wonderful and extremely interesting relationship while showing us the value in young, aspiring youth as well as experience and wisdom, enhanced age, and all the two can learn from one another.
John Talia Jr. (Morgan) doesn’t have a lot of friends, doesn’t really bother with girls, and mostly keeps to himself. His father, John Talia Sr. (Liotta) worries about this behavior constantly, mostly due to his horrible fears that his son might be a homosexual since he doesn’t seem to ever be after girls. John’s isolation is simply due to his studying and passion of art. He paints constantly and when he isn’t in his room painting, he’s at the art museum, studying other people’s work and trying to learn from them. He’s been getting lessons from an art teacher in town, but when he hears that his favorite artist, Nicoli Seroff (Mueller-Stahl) lives in town, he makes an appearance, hoping to pick his brilliant brain. Nicholi keeps to himself even far more than John does. He doesn’t have much use for people, doesn’t even paint anymore, and has a fairly bitter view of the world. Nicoli brushes John off when he comes to visit him and continues to do this the more John tries. John still can’t give up though, he convinces Nicoli to talk to him, to look at his paintings, and eventually to let John look at his art studio. Nicoli finally caves and agrees to teach John, but John must come with him to Pennsylvania where he will be for the summer.
John’s parent’s forbid him to go, fearful that this old man is taking him up to a shady cabin in the woods to murder or molest him. John has the chance to learn from one of his heroes and he knows this is a once in a life time opportunity so he leaves despite his parent’s wishes. John teaches him everyday and gives him a place to live and meals every day in exchange for fixing up the place while he stays there. Nicoli gives him a new lesson everyday, which John tries to transform in to his work. John is immediately attracted to Carla (Mathis), a young friend of Nicoli’s who takes care of him, partially to deal with her son’s death. Nicoli in return lost his beloved wife and nearly all of his family back in Russia. Carla reminds him of his wife and is very protective of her, especially when he sees John’s interest in her. Nicoli doesn’t keep it any secret how he feels either. He speaks his mind, both about Carla and when he thinks John’s work is useless. Is he pushing him to a higher level or is he unable to really let John in all the way?
The stellar performances are one of the best elements of the film. Trevor Morgan, who I recognized from Mean Creek and Off the Black, does an incredible job as John. He simply radiates on screen and captures all the energy, enthusiasm, and desire that is inside of his character. He shows his eagerness to compromise everything to create truly good art simply because it is an urge that lies deep down inside of him. Morgan has extraordinary screen presence and is a joy to watch. Armin Mueller-Stahl works wonderfully aside of him as the cynical Russian artist, Nicoli Seroff. He makes a good transition from the angry, old hermit who hates everyone to a more awakened artist who is sharing his knowledge and depth to the younger generation and realizing that this is what will make him live on. Still, it’s a very subtle change. Sometime in movies through similar character transitions the character does a complete 360, which can leave an impression it is still somewhat unrealistic. Here, it feels like we start and finish with the same man, but we are able to see a bit more clearly in to the individual who he truly is and the vibrant energy that is still inside of him.
Ray Liotta did pretty well as the homophobic man’s man. He showed a lack of understanding and complete indifference in his son’s life, while still showing that he wanted to care; his son just wasn’t the man that he wanted him to be. This relationship actually could have given us a little more as after this summer it is clear that there is a change in their relationship. It would have been nice to see how it changes, why, how they truly view each other, and what personal reasons they have for doing this. Still, it was an interesting element that made John do the things he did, but it wasn’t the main focus of the film so I can excuse it. Samantha Mathis was a joy as Carla. She was kind, gentle, but was clearly pained and wanted to be motherly to Nicoli since she could no longer be to her deceased son. It is clear that she was in turn an inspiration to John, quite possibly the first woman he really cared about. Ron Perlman was quite a riot as Nicoli’s art modernist friend. His performance shows how completely composed his character is in the art scene, making him feel much more intellectual than he might actually be.
Two of the funniest scenes in the film mock the modern art scene, but more so how people equate great value and depth to trivial and meaningless things. The first scene where we get this is when Nicoli is judging an art competition in the area. One piece is basically just a regular canvas. When Nicoli asks what it’s supposed to be, the artist claims that he was exploring the 2 dimensionality of the space. Nicoli then says you mean its flatness and the artist tries to come up with an artsy answer to bring depth to this flat board and claiming that means something. Nicoli leaves the show, yelling at all the artists that their work is shit. The next scene takes place during a dinner with Nicoli, John, and Ron Perlman’s character and his wife. Nicoli shows him the supposed work of a new artist. The paintings are mere splotches of finger paint, some simple images like a tree, some shapes, and some just random lines. They were created by disabled children in an art therapy class Nicoli teaches. Without knowing this Perlman’s character goes on and on about this brilliant artist he must meet. He claims there is such depth, sorrow, and anger, because a painting of an X is so angular that it shows this anguish. He is just made a fool of when he learns the truth.
One particular stylistic technique that went along with the emphasis on art were the freeze frames on the significant people in John’s life. Rather than being real life freeze frames, the particular character being introduced was shown as if it was a painting that John drew himself, showing us his perceptions of these people. Nicoli, who is perhaps the biggest influence on him, is shown in this freeze frame as well, but not until the end of the film. When John first met him he treated him like an icon, but at the end of the movie he is a true friend. It isn’t until the end that he can truly comprehend how much this man changed his life and captures him in that realization. Local Color has great character development, an inspiring story, and is a very personal film about relationships, life, and passion.
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Great review. That's a great cast!!!