Playwright David Hare is behind several award winning plays and screenplays. Hes won a BAFTA, a New York Drama Critics Circle Award, and was nominated for two Oscars. One for 2002s The Hours, and the other for 2008s The Reader. Sometimes plays work well when they are adapted for the screen, like Arsenic and Old Lace, Steel Magnolias, and Glengarry Glen Ross. But sometimes they just feel like a play that was filmed with a camera, leaving out some of the connection that occurs between the audience and the stage. Unfortunately, such is the case with Hares My Zinc Bed.
Paul (Paddy Considine) is a poet and a recovering alcoholic. He is contacted by successful billionaire Victor (Jonathan Pryce) with a job offer. Victor is a fan of his poetry and challenges his ideals that hes learned from Alcoholics Anonymous. Intrigued by Victor, Paul accepts his proposal and takes the job. Soon after, Paul meets Elsa (Uma Thurman), Victors young wife who has also struggled with drug addiction. Paul and Elsa have an immediate connection due to their similar pasts and are attracted to one another.
In conversations with Victor, Paul is tested in many ways. Victor questions his morals, his belief that he can be cured from drinking, and he also taunts him with his wife. Its a very peculiar relationship the two form. They never really seem like friends, yet they casually hang out at Victors home. Victor constantly thrusts temptation in Pauls past, almost like hes just hoping that hell step out of line. Paul falls in love with Elsa and is desperate for time with her, so he endures Victors taunts. Elsa encourages Paul to start drinking again, so with her encouragement and Victors taunting, he does.
The performances by all three lead actors are great, but only on their own. Since this is based on a play, there are many monologues that reveal each characters inner demons. This is where the actors shine. But when they have to interact with each other, they all look extremely uncomfortable. Victor is supposed to be head over heels in love with Elsa, yet he comes across as overbearing and seems like he could be abusive. Paul is supposed to fall in love with Elsa too, but I never believed it. He has a monologue in which he gets emotional and choked up and this looked really forced. Elsa doesnt show much emotion when it comes to the two men that shes torn between. The primary focus of the film is addiction, but a large portion of it deals with the temptations of a relationship outside of the marriage. It loses impact when the characters dont seem to be romantically interested in one another.
Another aspect of the film that bothered me was the minimal, stark surroundings. The actors are supposed to be each dealing with big emotional very human issues and their environment looks underdeveloped. Especially Victor and Elsa’s home. Their home is all white and airy, echoing an ethereal feel. When paired with the prodding by Victor and Paul’s growing uncomfort in the home, the stark white seems out of place.
I was also bothered by the ending. There is no resolution, the film just ends. Paul does voiceover throughout the film to help transition from one scene to the next, and the end of the film is just Paul doing a voiceover as he walks down a street. Almost like Victor was just toying with Paul and Elsa (his WIFE!), tears their lives apart and then they’re all back where they started at the beginning with no answers? It just didn’t fit with the film at all.
This is an HBO film, but I dont remember hearing anything about it; nothing like the hype that has surrounded the recent release of Grey Gardens, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. My Zinc Bed, while it might be tempting with the strong cast, is probably not worth your time to check out. Perhaps David Hare’s play is more suited for the stage.
Presented in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, and heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.
None.
With the frustration that met me as the credits rolled, I was hoping for an extra that explained the reasons why the characters did the things they did, why the film was made the way it was. I got nothing. Not a commentary, not a making of, no deleted scenes, nothing. This almost makes the movie worse. I still love the actors involved, and even though I didn’t like the movie, I still like their performances here. Overall, unfortunately this movie is not worth it.
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HBO Home Video presents My Zinc Bed. Directed by: Anthony Page. Starring: Jonathan Pryce, Paddy Considine, Uma Thurman. Written by: David Hare. Running time: 75 minutes. Rating: NR. Released on DVD: March 17, 2009. Available at Amazon.com
