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 When
it comes to Hollywood, it can be tough to separate fact from fiction.
Take notoriously press-shy actor Crispin Glover...
Fiction: After hitting the big-time as George McFly, the kind-hearted
social misfit from the 1985 classic Back to the Future,
Glover developed a reputation as a real butt-head and squandered
his newfound success by making some really bad career choices.
By the time the 80's were over, Glover was a virtual has-been,
and it wasn't until his brief role as the Thin Man in 2000's Charlie's
Angels that he made another impression.
Fact: Though he's best known for Back to the Future, Glover
actually gave a far better performance a year later in the little-seen
River's Edge. His asking price for the Future sequels
may have been too high, but Glover always marched to the beat
of his own drum with steady work and strong supporting performances
in films like The Doors, The People vs. Larry Flint and
Nurse Betty.
There's no denying that people still see Glover as the dad from
Back to the Future, but that's likely to change with the
release of the psychological horror thriller Willard, an
update of the 1971 cult classic of the same name about a loner
who bonds with a pack of rats. Actually, referring to this new
version as an "update" doesn't do it justice, since
it's a surprisingly stylish, sometimes funny and exceptionally
well-made genre film that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Trapped by his demanding mother (Jackie Burroughs), Willard Styles
(Crispin Glover) is a shy loner who lives a miserable existence
as an office clerk at his dead father's company. His luck changes
for the better (sort of) when he discovers that he can communicate
with the rats in his basement, but he is soon caught in the middle
of a power struggle between Socrates, the harmless white rat with
whom he develops a special bond, and Ben, the huge, evil rat who
defies his authority. Willard becomes so pre-occupied with his
newfound powers that he is oblivious to the charms of a beautiful
office temp (Laura Elena Harring), and the pressures upon him
build to the point where he can't help but unleash his army of
rats upon those around him.
By expanding upon the original's theme of alienation and layering
it with more stylish direction, director Glen Morgan has effectively
built the better mousetrap. The film is a cross between The
Birds, Psycho and Hamlet (yes, that Hamlet!),
and the psychological, suspenseful and supernatural elements are
much stronger than you'd expect. Then again, it makes perfect
sense, since Morgan (with partner James Wong) previously worked
on TV's classic The X-Files and 2000's well done horror
flick Final Destination.
That said, the film still has its flaws. In the beginning, Morgan
manages to write Willard as a sympathetic character despite his
circumstances as a freak of nature. The bond he shares with Socrates
is surprisingly tender, and he shows a lot of heart even as he
is forced to deal with Ben's evil motives (yes, folks, we are
talking about rats here!). Then, at the halfway point, Morgan's
stylish direction becomes more generic, and Willard loses the
sympathy of the audience by becoming outright pathetic.
After perfecting the role of the nerdy social misfit in Back
to the Future, Crispin Glover takes it to the next level in
Willard (although it must be stated that he sports the
same hairstyle). Though he tends to go over the top at times,
Glover manages to make Willard a surprisingly affectionate character.
At least, that's on the inside. On the outside, he's still creepy
as hell, and it's hard to see what the co-worker played by Laura
Elena Harring (the brunette hottie from Mulholland Drive)
sees in him. At least R. Lee Ermey (the drill sergeant from Full
Metal Jacket) seems to be having a blast as Glover's evil boss
who ultimately gets what he deserves.
With a film like this, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction,
but the fact is this: Willard is not for everybody (cat
lovers beware!), but it does have a lot more depth than you'd
expect for a movie like this. It's a squirm-inducing thriller
that will make you sink into your seat, and thanks to stylish
direction, strong performances and admirable production values,
there's a lot going on to make it one of the more...how do we
say it, "interesting" cinematic experiences of the year.
That is, if you give a rat's ass about this sort of thing.
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