One of the joys of TIFF is the element of surprise, when an actor, director or film catches you off-guard. Two such surprises -- a serious performance by Will Ferrell, and a worthy Americanized version of "Let the Right One In" -- certainly qualify.
A few days ago, Chris Cooper said to me that the industry often pigeonholes actors into doing the same sort of performance and film over and over and over, and though he won an Oscar for 2002’s “Adaptation” he has never been offered anything remotely like that part again.
Indeed, back in 2006, a film entitled “Stranger Than Fiction” here at TIFF displayed an entirely different side to Will Ferrell. He impressed more than a few film critics (myself included) with his dramatic acting chops. And his recent performance as President George W. Bush on HBO made it clear that when he puts his mind to it, he is a gifted actor capable of doing great work.
Now Ferrell has done it again, in a film not as good as “Stranger Than Fiction,” though his performance may be better, darker, and more complex. In his new film film, “Everything Must Go,” directed by Dan Rush, Ferrell gives a strong performance as an alcoholic, fired from his job, kicked out of his home by his wife, and left with only his possessions scattered on his front lawn. The entire premise of the film is how he deals with this, how he comes to recognize that his life is not over and he has the strength to carry on. I daresey this is his best work onscreen ... period – and a role that goes against the grain of just about everything he has done.
His character could be a dislikable sort, and he goes straight in that direction, capturing the anger of a man who has allowed, through drink and foolish acts, his life to spiral out of control. It’s self-loathing portrayed at its best – a character who knows deep down he knows he is his own worst enemy, but lacks the courage to do anything about it. Yet there is something so inherently likable within Ferrell that it is impossible to dislike the character. We see him do some very stupid things, we see him at his very worst, but we also know what he is going through and what he is up against. He's not a bad guy, not at all -- he's just in a bad way.
Unfortunately, the film itself suffers from being rather one-note. Once his character is established and the other characters are introduced, it all becomes a tad redundant -- despite strong performances not only from Ferrell but from Rebecca Hall, who brings a lovely, winsome presence to the film as a pregnant neighbor, having just moved in, getting a rather shocking introduction to Ferrell. He hits the nail right on the head when he tells her she could be looking at her future, but she sees something more in him, and will not let his defeatist attitude get to her.
