There are many strange things about Cyrus, but perhaps the strangest is the fact that amongst its list of producers are Ridley and Tony Scott. The film is the antithesis of the big budget Hollywood blockbusters that the brothers are best known for. Cyrus is an intimate domestic drama with a warped sensibility. Inhabited by dysfunctional characters embroiled in taut situations, it is at times excruciatingly uncomfortable to watch. But the brutal honesty and vulnerability of those involved is as compelling as it is painful and ultimately it’s impossible not to be won over by them and the film.
Written and directed by the brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, Cyrus is a delicately balanced work that teeters between black comedy, drama and thriller as things unfold in surprising and unusual ways. Being able to pull off such a deft balancing act was key, but the gifted cast is able to fully bring out the film’s rich palette of emotions and moods.
The film’s opening sets the tone as Jamie (Catherine Keener) makes an impromptu call on her ex-husband John (John C. Reilly). She wanders through the disheveled home, following the loud music emanating from a room. Uncertain what she is about to discover, the tension rises. When she enters she discovers a partially clad John lying on the bed with his computer and masturbating. For the remainder of the film, it feels very much like we’re intruding on the intimate lives of three people during what is clearly a difficult period.
John is a wreck of a man who is still reeling from being dumped by his ex, who is preparing to marry Tim (Matt Walsh). Socially awkward, he is lonely and depressed. After being bullied by Jamie to go to a party, he meets Molly (Marisa Tomei). His immediate response to the interest of someone so beautiful is incredulity. “I’m like Shrek,” he declares. Their meeting is both tender and clumsy. Drunk and nervous, John makes an utter jerk of himself, at one point disturbing the party’s polite atmosphere by dancing wildly and singing along to The Human League’s ‘Don’t You Want Me.’
Despite this, Molly isn’t put off. Indeed she finds his raw candor refreshing. After spending the night together, John is keen to turn their liaison into something more substantial. His neediness, which borders on desperation, is pitiful and embarrassing to behold. Things are complicated when John discovers Molly shares her house with her son Cyrus (Jonah Hill). Hill, who is better known for his buffoonish characters, reveals another side in his excellent portrayal of the strange son. Possessed of a sinister side, and feeling a threat to the unusually close relationship he has with his mother, Cyrus does all in his powers to make John feel unwelcome.
Being privy to the tangled web spun by three such broken characters is awkward. The desire to reach out to them with advice or admonishment is great. But for all their considerable faults, their inner pain is so evident as to make you forgive them. To spend time in their company is difficult but ultimately very gratifying.
Kevin Murphy
