Opening the inaugural Essential Independents Film Festival is the subtle drama 'Time Out Of Mind'; a film fitting the spirit of independent filmmaking the festival celebrates, featuring a delicate performance from Richard Gere.
Every human has that one thing which makes them special and unique; a talent, when exposed, which makes them appear more extraordinary than once before. Sometimes it can be used for good, but often times a person wants to be known for more than just that single thing.
This is the danger of typecasting: a Hollywood trope where an actor will be hired to play the same type of character in different films. The characters may have different names, but they all share the same characteristics. Case in point is Richard Gere: a man who became a superstar in the '80s and '90s as the rich and handsome bachelor charming his way through many romantic films. But, in ‘Time Out Of Mind’, Gere goes in the opposite direction, giving a beautifully subtle performance in this drama about the homeless.
Gere plays George, a very quiet and mild-mannered man. George is homeless and living on the streets of New York, although he’s in denial of this, believing himself to be “between things”. We don’t fully learn how he has come to this place in his life outside a few short references, but we follow him as he finally comes to accept what has become of him and tries to move on. We see George make the best of homeless shelters, and also him being treated like garbage, whether through being moved along from the shelter from the cold he finds, to being harassed by kids.
Gere’s performance in this film can be best described as understated. There are no witty retorts or winning someone’s heart. Gere wanders the streets, looking completely dishevelled and with a large unexplained scar across the side of his head, with darting eyes and mumbling softly to himself. His expressions are of confusion at the noise of the world, best exhibited during close-up shots of his face, which are quite often in this film. Gere says a lot with his facial expressions, which makes up for the little dialogue there is in the film (we never learn his name until near the hour mark because of how little he speaks). If Gere was using this film as a chance to show his range, it has definitely worked as a display for his graceful subtlety.
It should be noted this film won’t appeal to those who grew up watching Gere charming his leading lady. The film lacks a plot, with small episodes including trying to acquire identification and trying to make peace with the daughter he abandoned breaking things up a bit. The film’s focus is more focused on character development, much like the independent cinema of Jim Jarmusch and John Cassevetes which this festival celebrates, with writer/director Orem Moverman achieving this in a number of ways.
One very intriguing device Moverman uses is with stationary shots Gere alone, while a large amount of outside noise fills the Gere’s silence. It gives the impression of George being so far removed from society that he’s literally an outsider. This sound technique is also matched with much of the filming taking place in bars and houses, looking at Gere through windows – another barrier between George and society.
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If ‘Time Out Of Mind’ was just a way for Gere and Moverman to show off to filmgoers, the film would be a disaster. But, the pair manages to capture the sense of being lost with real sincerity. The vulnerability of these people is never exploited, showing how society takes things like identification for granted. This sincerity, coupled with Gere’s performance and Moverman’s ability to capture this character as he develops, places ‘Time Out Of Mind’ as a new classic in the ranks of the American independent film canon.
★★★★☆
Essential Independents: American Cinema showcases in Palace Cinemas until 8 June.
