When films are made about underrepresented communities, there’s always a danger of jumping into a discussion of how “universal” such stories are. It’s great if white, affluent, heterosexual audiences can respond to the travails of the black, gay, impoverished hero of “Moonlight,” for example, but that empathy shouldn’t obscure discussion of how few similar characters we see in mainstream movies.
The new documentary “Dina” calls this subject to mind because, while it specifically deals with an autistic adult and her impending nuptials, it’s a movie that, in the broadest sense, is about marriage itself. We get lots of films about weddings and about courtship, but this is one that actually takes the time to explore the essence of the marital partnership, and the delicate balance between expressing your own wants and needs while also devoting yourself to fulfilling your partner’s wants and needs.
Viewers who might think they wouldn’t be able to relate to someone like the brassy, plain-spoken 48-year-old Dina may be surprised at just how very, yes, universal her story can be. Directors Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles (who previously collaborated on “Mala Mala”) never condescend to or coddle their vivacious leading lady, and the result is a fascinating love story.
We meet Dina — described by her mother as living with a “smorgasbord” of issues, including Asperger syndrome (which falls under the autism umbrella) and anxiety — as she prepares for big changes in her life. Her boyfriend, Scott, who is also autistic, is moving in with her as the two of them, and their families, prepare for the wedding.
As we follow her through the usual errands leading up to the big day — the dress, the manicures, etc. — we get to know Dina and everything she has survived, including the death of her first husband and multiple stab wounds inflicted by a former boyfriend. She and Scott seem genuinely in love, and able to talk each other down when one gets upset, but there’s clearly a physical component missing.
On a day trip to the Jersey shore, Dina presents Scott with a copy of “The Joy of Sex,” and she initiates one of several awkward conversations — and they would be awkward for anybody — about her need for intimacy and Scott’s reticence to touch and hug and kiss her. Like most husbands, Scott has challenges and compromises to face.
As the film follows them on their honeymoon — to a Poconos resort with a martini-glass-shaped bathtub overlooking the living room — “Dina” offers its most powerful moment, playing the post-stabbing 911 call over a shot of the newlyweds sitting on a park bench that disappears into darkness as the sun sets. It’s a scene that could easily have been exploitative of Dina’s grief, but it instead plays like a tribute to her resilience. After that, the directors still deliver one great final shot that suggests that this marriage has a future.
“Dina” never bears the mantle of having to educate its audience about autism. We see that among Dina and Scott’s friends, they deal with varying degrees of their issues. (They range a spectrum from those who can drive to those who are relatively uncommunicative.) There’s never a sense of pity or pathos about the film’s subjects — both Dina and Scott lead complete, fulfilling lives, full of friends and family and activities and favorite TV shows.
Santini and Sickles prove themselves to be very effective flies on the wall here; there are no interviews or voice-overs to tell us what’s happening or how we’re supposed to feel about it. It’s that sense of life unfolding among people we’ve enjoyed getting to know that makes “Dina” so fascinating.
14 Hottest Sundance Movies for Sale: From Degenerate Nuns to Sexting Angelenos (Photos)
Park City, Utah, is about to be flush with cash -- and we're not talking about buying apres-ski gear. Here are the most promising sales titles of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
"Brigsby Bear" Kyle Mooney ("SNL") leads an impressive ensemble in what seems to be a millennial take on "The Truman Show." The title refers to a children's TV show made for an audience of one -- a boy named James, whose life changes after the show's abrupt end. Dave McCary directs from a script by Mooney and Kevin Costello. Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear and Michaela Watkins co-star.
"The Big Sick" Socially relevant fare that's based on a true story is often a winning combination for Sundance features. "Silicon Valley" star Kumail Nanjiani and girlfriend Emily V. Gordon wrote this true tale of bridging cultural divides among their families while navigating their careers and romance.
"Beach Rats" Multiple programmers, sales agents and content buyers told TheWrap they're all keen to see this thoroughly modern drama from Eliza Hittman. The movie stars Harris Dickinson as a Brooklyn teen with a grim home life, a budding romance with a female friend and a predilection for meeting up with older men he connects with online.
"A Ghost Story" David Lowery reunites with his "Ain't Them Bodies Saints" stars Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck for a chamber drama about a man who dies, and is forced to watch his loved one grieve over expanses of time.
"The Hero" Sam Elliott stars as an aging country legend confronting his demons (territory that netted Jeff Bridges an Oscar in 2010 for “Crazy Heart”). The film also stars "Orange Is the New Black" star Laura Prepon, which may make it hard for Netflix to resist scooping it up.
"Roxanne, Roxanne" As he keeps chugging along the road to the Academy Awards, "Moonlight" star Mahershala Ali comes to Park City with "Roxanne, Roxanne" -- the story of Lolita "Roxanne Shanté" Gooden, who became a fierce rap battle queen at age 14. Chante Adams stars in this real-life story from writer-director Michael Larnell.
"The Yellow Birds" Alexander Moors ("Blue Caprice") offers up this tale of young Iraq war veterans, which boasts hot up-and-coming stars Alden Ehrenreich (the new Han Solo) and Tye Sheridan. The tale unfolds as a mystery, with a fallen hero's mother (Jennifer Aniston) and a tough-as-nails military official (Jason Patric) searching for answers in a young man's death.
"Step" One of numerous hot docs in Park City, Amanda Lipitz’s opus follows a team of step dancers in Baltimore — an inspiring group of inner-city girls living in the midst of social unrest.
"To the Bone" Marti Noxon, a longtime symbol of female empowerment in TV for her work on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "UnREAL," makes her feature directorial debut with a pitch-black comedy about her own struggle with anorexia. The film stars Lily Collins and Keanu Reeves.
"Landline" Director Gillian Robespierre reunites with her "Obvious Child" star Jenny Slate for a tale of lying, cheating and Manhattanite family bonds. Slate produces; Edie Falco, John Turturro, Finn Wittrock and Jay Duplass co-star.
"The Polka King" Jack Black descends on Utah with a meaty role as a Bernie Madoff for the indie music scene. In Maya Forbes’ indie Black plays Polish immigrant Jan Lewan — who became the “King of Pennsylvania Polka” in the 1990s, bribing and cheating investors along the way.
"The Little Hours" Director Jeff Baena continues to surprise, this time with a quiet riot of a film about extremely misbehaving nuns in an Italian hamlet. Reunited with his real-life girlfriend and star Aubrey Plaza ("Life After Beth") and producer Liz Destro, "Little Hours" sees a medieval convent go insane after a sexy day laborer (Dave Franco) moves in.
"Golden Exits" Director Alex Ross Perry and star Emily Browning help bring two infighting New York families together. A prototypical indie drama with pedigree, it co-stars Mary-Louise Parker, Lily Rabe, Jason Schwartzman, Chloe Sevigny, Adam Horowitz and Analeigh Tipton.
"Newness" Drake Doremus ("Like Crazy") returns to Sundance with another drama about young romance. This time, his "Equals" star Nicholas Hoult and newcomer Laia Costa play a contemporary L.A. couple navigating "a social media-driven hookup culture," whose relationship pushes multiple boundaries.
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Streaming companies and indie distributors will battle it out for these movies
Park City, Utah, is about to be flush with cash -- and we're not talking about buying apres-ski gear. Here are the most promising sales titles of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
