Secondhand Reviews: "Cyrus"

Rated R for sexual situations and strong language.

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Audiences have apparently become so accustomed to mass-produced Hollywood romantic comedies that tell them exactly what is supposed to funny in them and precisely when they are supposed to laugh, that anyt time they're confronted with a romantic comedy they automatically laugh at scenes that are actually meant to be quite serious, even filled with pathos. That's the only possible conclusion I can reach after watching "Cyrus", an indie romantic comedy from Paul & Mark Duplass, last night at the Riverview theatre, Minneapolis' premiere second-run house but one which more often than not shows commercial Hollywood fare, as do most second-run houses. "Cyrus" does not play by the rules of most Hollywood romcoms, but a lot of people don't have any idea how to react to a movie that doesn't follow the customary pattern.

The premise of "Cyrus" is comfortably Hollywood enough: a divorced (7 years ago) man played by John C. Riley who's isolated and lonely and about to give up on dating completely, meets the woman of his dreams (Marisa Tomei) at a party and starts a new relationship with her, but can't help but wonder why she never stays overnight and has never invited him to hers. He follows her home one night and discovers why: her 21-year-old son Cyrus (Jonah Hill), who still lives with her and is insanely possessive in an almost literal sense. When Cyrus learns of Riley's new relationship with his mother he seems at first to be sweet and welcoming to the new guy, but he soon learns that Cyrus is orchestrating a plan to make sure he breaks up the happy couple so he can have mom all to himself. And remember, folks, Cyrus is 21 years old, not ten!

The movie has plenty of laughs, make no mistake... but this is not a wacky slapstick comedy by any means. Nobody does any pratfalls or gets kicked in the groin. No car chases or anything of the sort. In fact, there are times when it ALMOST resembles a typical Coen Brothers comedy in that the story gets about as emotionally bleak as it can get and still be considered a comedy. Riley is clearly a man in despair even seven years after his divorce, and even when it's obvious that Tomei is interested in him, he still refuses to quite believe it ("I'm like Shrek! What are you doing in the forest with Shrek?"). Tomei is obviously a loving and concerned mother whose love of her son really pulls her in several emotional directions when Rily comes out and tells her what Cyrus has been doing. And Cyrus... well, Cyrus is as funny as Jonah Hill can make him (which is saying a lot), but he's also more than a little scary.

More than one romantic comedy has featured a cast with impressive credentials, but way too often you wouldn't understand why they got their high reputation just on the basis of their performances in the romcom... not only are they rarely given much to work with, but the stars seem to realize that good acting wouldn't really help the film and isn't really called for anyhow. But Riley, Tomei and Hill are all outstanding in this film. Riley and Tomei make it obvious why they're Oscar Nominees, and Jonah Hill will convince you that he's going to be one too before long. Hill in particular is the real surprise... as impressive as Riley and Tomei are, they're clearly playing the same character thoughout the film even as their emotional journeys take them on a winding and varied path. But Cyrus appears to be one character, turns out to be another, and winds up with a third layer peeking out by the end of the movie. To convincing play all three and not make the character seem schizophrenic is quite an accomplishment. People should be taking Hill a lot more serious from now on.

However, Catherine Keener ("Being John Malkovich", "Where The Wild Things Are") doesn't fare quite so well. In the role of Riley's ex-wife, who announces to him that she's getting married again in the movie's first scene, her function appears to be mainly to be there to bring him to the party where he meets Tomei, be there to cheer him on in the new relationship and to listen to him when he needs to unload about his problems with Cyrus... basically she plays a sounding board. Your typical Hollywood romantic comedy usually features a character like that as well, but "Cyrus" is so off-the-usual-beaten-path and creative, that it's a little disappointing to see it fall prey to even part of the usual formula like that. And it's also disappointing to see an actress of Keener's talents stuck in such a nothing role in a film where the rest of the cast gets to shine.

That's a fairly minor complaint, though, in a film where you... for the first time since, possibly "Definitely, Maybe" some 2 1/12 years ago... actually don't know for sure how the story or the relationship will wind up until literally the very final scene. And in a genre that usually seems to be just barely skimming the surface of the character's emotions and never really evokes much emotion in its audiences other than an occasional small chuckle, to see a film that delves so deep into what its characters are feeling and makes you feel it as strongly as they do is something you just don't see often enough. And, yes, it does all of that as well as making you laugh: with all of that, the movie never forgets that it's a comedy. Even if some of its audiences do seem to forget... or be unaware of the fact... that it's not a typical, formula-bound comedy. But if you're growing a bit tired of that old formula and are ready for a romantic comedy that actually has a few off-center quirks and for a change manages to be both romantic and comedic, then "Cyrus" might be just the movie you're looking for.