Maudlin Middling
"Middleton" Saved by Strong Performances
By Chris Sabga
 |
Release Date: January 31, 2014 – U.S.
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy,
Romance
Running Time:
99 minutes
Director: Adam
Rodgers
Writers:
Glenn German, Adam Rodgers
Cast: Andy
Garcia, Vera Farmiga, Taissa Farmiga,
Spencer Lofranco, Nicholas
Braun, Tom Skerritt,
Peter Riegert
|
"At
Middleton" – set on an idyllic University campus – is as
pretentious and artificial as the college experience itself. Perhaps
it's trying too hard to be like the French romances it so obviously
admires. It tends to be too "cute" for its own good:
Multiple characters overuse jokey words such as "feckless"
and "dingleberry," and there are several scenes depicting
ridiculous displays of exuberance while a loud piano score booms in
the background. Among them: two people joyously running through a
fountain of water, the sun shining down dramatically over them at
the top of a bell tower, and others too silly to "spoil"
here.
Like
a professor, "At Middleton" has a serious message to convey
and much to teach – but that doesn't mean you'll walk out with any
greater knowledge or deeper insight. For adults with college-age
kids, much time has passed and many regrets begin to mount. Lost in
the minutia of life, it is easy for 40-somethings to forget how to
live.
Meanwhile, many 17-year-olds tend to feel the pressure-cooker of
college looming. They think their lives are already over before
they've even begun. The movie says all of that, but similar to most
college courses, its lessons are pretty shallow and you ultimately
won't learn much. "Middleton" is more "Medicine 101"
and less "Fundamentals of Brain Surgery." It's the
cinematic equivalent of a flu shot: skin deep and barely scratches
the surface.
As the movie begins,
Edith (Vera Farmiga) is taking her daughter, Audrey (Taissa Farmiga,
Vera's sister in real life), to see the Middleton campus. While
there, they meet a father, George (Andy Garcia), and his son, Conrad
(Spencer Lofranco). During the tour, the parents get separated from
the children. From there, George and Edith get to know each other.
Together, they experience a magical day that brings them new hope,
reopens old wounds, fills their eyes with fresh tears, and whatever
other ridiculous maudlin sentiments this overblown script forces them
to feel.
And yet, despite all of
that, "At Middleton" is not without its charms...
Andy Garcia and Vera
Farmiga sell the hell out of this middling material. Their incredible
chemistry is almost enough to
make it all work. Because of
them, I can't bring myself to entirely dislike the film. I can
recognize its flaws – of which there are many – but Garcia and
Farmiga are undeniably great
together. While the movie definitely belongs to them, the two kids
are pretty damn good
too – and there are a couple of memorable supporting appearances by
veteran actors Tom Skerritt and Peter Riegert, both of whom are in
fine form themselves. (Skerritt
shares an
explosive scene with Taissa Farmiga, while Riegert works wonderfully
with young Spencer Lofranco.)
In
the right mood, I could see myself taking another tour of
"Middleton." It's
far from perfect, but it does provide
a fun time that feels
good.
