The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)
Starring Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, and Laura Dern.
Directed by Jane Anderson
-The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio is a rarity. It is the sort of film that is seldom ever greenlit by Hollywood executives anymore, as evidinced by the extremely minimal theatrical run The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio received. Perhaps because there is no immediate draw in comparison to a film such as Mr. & Mrs. Smith (also released in the same year) that this is so. It truly is the loss of the cinemagoer who misses out on such wonderful stories such as this one which serve as true slice-of-life pieces with multi-layered characters and their compelling lives.
The film tells the true story of an American housewife named Evelyn Ryan (Moore) who pulled her family through the most dire of financial times by winning one writing contest after another. Evelyn's talent and continuous fortunes frustrate her husband Kelly (Harrelson) who works hard in a factory to support his family, but has a drinking problem. Despite the struggles though, Evelyn perseveres for both her love of writing and the love of her family.
Upon first seeing The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio three years ago, I tried long and hard to remember the last time I had seen a film such as this one; a story about real people with real struggles who are placed in situations not extraordinary, but ones that are brought about by life in general. The main appeal of films is to escape reality and enter a world where the ordinary has been transformed. Yet its refreshing to see tales such as this one where one person's very own life can be so captivating that it reminds us that real life itself too is extraordinary.
The film, which takes place in the 1950s, is beautifully shot, written, directed, and acted. In the title role, Moore fits perfectly into the shoes of a housewife whose every act is made for someone other than herself. She understands the motivations and reasons behind them. Her face also comes into play quite well. This might seem an odd point to make. But for me, Moore has usually failed to strike me as a facially expressive actress despite her obvious talents. Yet here she manages to capture Evelyn's grief, surprise and optimism almost effortlessly. It is quite honestly one of her finest performances.
Likewise Harrelson reminds one of what he is capable of when he steps away from the laugh-out-loud comedy genre and takes on a role such as this in which, as the Evelyn's alcoholic husband, he manages to make his character likeable while ensuring that the film never pities him.
Other than the core story of Evelyn's pronounced writing talents, the film's view on marriage is perhaps the key theme of the film. Evelyn is clearly a wife devoted to her husband. She forgives his drunken stupors, which includes wasting the family's money on alcohol, his tempermental behavior, and his overall aloofness with regards to her passion for writing. Yet Evelyn is so sure of the man she fell in love with and the kind of person he was and still is, that she never loses her faith in Kelly.
On his part, Kelly is perhaps the most conflicted character in the film. He endures public jibes about his wife's fortunes which tears away at his masculinity, instills feelings of resentment and jealousy and drives him to drink. Yet one never feels like he doesn't love his wife. He supports her at every turn, tries his hardest to correct the mistakes he makes, and above all else is genuinely happy and proud of her success. Kelly's biggest frustration however, and the possible reason for his alcoholism, is his own feelings of failure at not being able to provide his wife and family with the lifestyle which he feels they deserve. But to Kelly's credit, he keeps on trying.
What The Prizewinner of Defiance, Ohio is truly about is the perseverance required for life which everyone must recognize and adopt. Evelyn's writing in the film not only gives her a way of supporting her family, but also gives her a purpose in life which goes beyond the parameters of wife and mother. She takes great care and precision with her craft and loves it as if its another one of her children. This film is funadamentally another story about the classic American dream shown through the eyes of a woman who was not able to reap ALL of the benefits the country had to offer, but who took what she had and did the best she could with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVxiQbFsVSU
-please enjoy the somewhat effective trailer to an otherwise breathtaking film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzxipBfJ4qU
-an excellent scene which more than anything explains the crux of Moore's character
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxrCpNgVXCc&feature=related
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