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| Courtesy of eOne Films |
The
title of this low-key comedy (a remake of a 2003 French-Canadian film) makes it
sound like a searing drama about naughty 18th century aristocrats, but that
couldn’t be further from the actual plot. It’s actually a charming, albeit
leisurely paced, look at a dying harbor town full of eccentric characters
hoping to revitalize their home by convincing a young doctor to stay full-time.
They just have to resort to subterfuge to pull it off.
The
bizarre plan is conceived by de facto mayor Murray (the great Brendan Gleeson),
a position he took on after the former officeholder skipped town in the middle
of the night. The once-thriving harbor is on its last legs since the fishing
industry collapsed, and most people collect welfare instead of a paycheck.
Fortunately,
the town has a chance at a lucrative business contract that promises to bring
plenty of jobs. In order to be considered, they need a local doctor – which is
a problem. But Murray is resourceful. When a big city doctor (Taylor Kitsch, in
a surprisingly effective bit of casting) finds himself in the area for a month,
the new mayor convinces the town to transform into the doctor’s idea of heaven.
They
spy on him to learn his hobbies, favorite foods, etc. and exploit the knowledge
to their advantage. The good doctor eventually warms up to the town, but Murray
has to decide if achieving his goal is worth devastating a good man once he
inevitably learns the truth.
The
Grand Seduction has a couple of problems: it’s about 20 minutes too long, and
some of Murray’s lies are downright unforgiveable for a story intent on a happy
ending. But, overall, I enjoyed the film thanks to the amiable, lived-in
performances and gorgeous scenery, captured through Douglas Koch’s solid cinematography.
Gleeson
is always one of the best aspects of any movie he’s in (especially the hilarious,
heartbreaking In Bruges), so it’s nice to see him in a lead role as an
ordinary guy. He’s funny, he’s melancholy and it’s interesting to watch how he
conveys his evolving relationships with his wife and the town’s new doctor.
Kitsch
is also terrific in a role unlike anything else he’s ever done. He took a lot
of junk over the last few years after some of his high-profile flicks bombed,
but he’s always been an interesting, underrated actor. It’s nice to see him
bounce back in smaller, more interesting films like this one – seems like a much
better fit, actually.
The Grand Seduction is rated PG-13 for some suggestive material and drug references.
Grade:
B-
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