Review of Leaves of Grass (2009) by Päivi P — 26 Jun 2011

Tim Blake Nelson shows another side of his talents in Leaves of Grass, this time sitting in the director's chair- as well as a supporting character. When I think of Nelson, I think of O Brother Where Art Thou? or The Good Girl as he is usually right at home playing a dummy sidekick of sorts. Here, as the director, he invites a well known cast along for a ride on the wild side (and not so wild side). Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon, and (the out of place) Richard Dreyfuss all star in this off-beat comedy/drama. Nelson must split the run time equally for the twin brothers, both played by Norton, as he focuses on their contradicting personalities. The balance is clever but one must ask, "how much of the uneven balancing act can I take"?

Bill is a successful professor whose career is only on the rise when he receives word that his brother Brady has been killed. He jumps a flight home only to see that his twin brother simply needed his help with a bad situation concerning a drug lord (again, out of place Dreyfuss). The antics begin as soon as he arrives in his hometown where time has apparently only stood still. His brother is a pot-head cultivating high quality marijuana and his mother has checked herself into a retirement home (about 20 years early). Will the two brothers work together so that Brady can live long enough to father his expected child? Will Bill find what he left behind- and has really been searching for his whole life? With all the talent here, anything was possible but not much was accomplished. I wanted to see the old Norton get back in the saddle and impress me once again with his depth and charisma but just like the rest of the project, it fell short.

This goofy story makes me sad. For it to try so hard at serious drama and yet try equally hard for spaced-out comedy doesn't add up for me here. While not comparing it to (the superior) film Adaptation, it's hard not to mention it a few times since it is quite similar in some respects. I have seen several unfortunate exhibits and now must air my grievances about Susan Sarandon. She is seen playing another "mother with a few lines" role and it is so entirely depressing that I can barely look at her (think The Lovely Bones, Wall Street 2). She has so much to give yet nothing is given. Hopefully, she will return to true form and get back to roles like Dead Man Walking, The Client, and Thelma and Louise. I can say the same for Norton as he reaches for a Cage-like duel role from Adaptation. Norton doesn't pack a punch or teach us anything with his double-edged performance. He had so many different opportunities to leave and impression on us here but did not seal the deal. Leaves of Grass doesn't reach into enough new direction for me and has a stale Adaptation aftertaste (in direct regards to the brothers). I did, however, like the polar opposite personalities and how even the film's title refers to both brothers: pot leaves of grass for Brady and the famous book title refers strongly to Bill. It has moments that are humorous and poetic but they are suddenly blasted in the face execution style by the arrogant and unnecessary dark side of the story. It would have been so much better to see things turn out better for the brothers but in the end it loses track of any logic or meaning and settles for zany attempts to shock us before the credits roll. (D).