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DIANE is an aptly made film about a caring individual who works herself to sleep many a day for trying too hard. Diane not only helps out in the soup kitchen but aids others in bringing food and comfort. Her one burden is her son, who is an addict, and often dirty and not eating. The film is Diane’s story – as Diane is performed by Mary Kay Place, she giving on of the best performances of her career.
For a film about about sick and depressing people, the film has a sly look at things thus giving the film some humour and a cutting edge. Comedienne Andrea Martin from SCTV provides some laugh-out humour offering her two-cents worth on things while yapping all the way on-stop. She plays a good friend of Diane who always sorts her out when she is down. Diane’s son, Bryan (Jake Lacy) a man-baby still unable to function on his own, is quaint to look at. He is rather good looking but acts like a complete baby.
One of the film’s oddest scenes has Diane counselling Bryan while an odd whirling noise is heard on the soundtrack. “I think I want to give birth to something,” Bryan says. “I think you need help. We have to go through this one more time,” replies Diane.
The trouble with DIANE is that the film appears aimless as Diane moves along in her life. The ending is just sufficiently satisfactory.
Besides Place’s performance, the impressive cast includes Oscar Winner Estelle Parsons (remember her as Gene Hackman’s screaming wife in BONNEY AND CLYDE?), Glynnis O’Connor and Joyce Van Patton from the 70’s.
DIANE is helmed by Kent Jones who has made the documentaries A LETTER TO ELIA and HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT. This new feature has already won three Awards in Tribeca, including Best Narrative Feature and the oecuminal Prize at Locarno 2018.
Festival Reviews 