On the rocky path to sobriety after a life-changing accident, John Callahan discovers the healing power of art, willing his injured hands into drawing hilarious, often controversial cartoons, which bring him a new lease on life.
Inherent Vice now has an alcoholic little brother. ‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot‘ is Gus Van Sant’s first decent movie in a decade, and it’s not in the least bit because of poor casting. Joaquin Phoenix plays cartoonist John Callahan, a quadriplegic struggling with alcoholism before and after the accident that resigned him to a wheelchair. He’s aided in his 12 Step program by a very slim Jonah Hill, a rich hippie. By late seventies period piece law, Hill’s character, of course, has AIDS. Also, we know it’s the seventies because Jimmy Carter is on the TV, and everyone has long hair.
With the presence of Rooney Mara as a Swedish physical therapist/flight attendant and then Jack Black, you’d think it was a comedy. The contrast between Phoenix’ wheelchair-bound slapstick, the gallows humor, and the horrid struggle of quadriplegia brought about by years of depression and alcohol abuse makes for a lot of tonal dysphoria. Yet somehow the beauty of life wins out in the end. I’m not really sure what the clunky time jumping in the first hour was about, maybe a botched framing device, but it does confuse you into being intrigued about what comes next. Granted, I knew nothing about the film going in, so even if it weren’t based on the true life of Callahan I still found it a very effective exploration of what drives a person to drink, struggle and fight.
This film ultimately accomplishes what it sets out to do. From what I’ve read, Robin Williams had tapped Van Sant to direct this with, I’m assuming, the intent to play the role of Callahan. I know that this is all before and outside what we are presented, but it certainly feels like the movie was intended as a light in the darkness for anyone who is struggling with addiction and depression. We are living in a world that beats us down on a regular basis. Even those we love don’t always know what we’re going through, and with the ubiquity and normalization of the alcohol culture in America, it’s easier to treat the symptoms and not the disease.
Through discipline, hardship and pure grit, we can all still learn to forgive and work towards finding a greater purpose. John Callahan did and his journey was inspiring. Great movie.
ddileo 