Road movie smokes its own weed
If all else fails, make a road movie. Add a few adorable dogs and cats for good measure.
This is evidently the guiding philosophy behind Boundaries, a movie with no reason to exist apart from setting into motion an otherwise interesting cast, led by Christopher Plummer and Vera Farmiga. Although I’m being generous by suggesting any thought at all went into making this picture.
It’s the latest exercise in mainstream mediocrity from American writer/director Shana Feste, who never saw a movie cliché or character quirk she didn’t love, and whose career output — which also includes
Country Strong and the screenplay for Endless Love — reads like a compilation of “worsts” on Rotten Tomatoes.
Boundaries concerns the dysfunctional family of Seattle single mother Laura (Farmiga), who can’t stop herself from adopting every stray dog and cat she meets, even when she’s en route to her therapist.
She’s mom to Henry (Lewis MacDougall), a nerdy brat who gets kicked out of school for drawing a nude portrait of the principal. Frazzled Laura is also the estranged daughter of Jack (Plummer), an irascible elder who gets kicked out of his seniors’ residence for smoking weed.
Did I mention that Jack is irascible, and that he and Laura are estranged? Well, of course they’re going to end up on the road to L.A. together, driving an ancient gold Cadillac, to visit Laura’s goofy sister JoJo (Kristen Schaal), who is willing to take dad in for a spell.
Also in the car are the sullen Henry, various stray animals and $200,000 worth of weed that Jack is planning to sell along the way — which means dropping in on eccentric pals played by Christopher Lloyd and Peter Fonda, and also Laura’s shiftless ex-husband, played by Bobby Cannavale.
Having fun yet? This is supposed to be some kind of comedy, but the only mirth it inspires is watching the grimace on Plummer’s face as he realizes what a turkey he’s ended up in.
At age 88, Plummer will have to start reading scripts and vetting directors more carefully, if he hopes to finish his long and glorious career with more than road trips to nowhere.