Gigantic
There are elements a plenty to Matt Aselton’s Gigantic that individually provide fun and bear closer examination. Whether it is the fun, intriguing performances or slightly surreal take on New York, plenty of ingredients are mixed around in this pseudp rom-com stew that often times are stronger than the final product. Anchoring the story (and our perspective) is the always watchable Paul Dano as Brian Weathersby, a young mattress salesman living in the city, somewhat aimless in terms of purpose other than his desire to adopt and raise a needing Chinese orphan.
The son of a wealthy, albeit eccentric businessman (played by a jovially weird Ed Asner) and the youngest of three sons, Paul’s introspective nature and thoughtful maturity betrays someone who grew up to be a man before getting to enjoy being a boy. His routine though is interrupted one day at the office by bulbous loudmouth Al Lolly (John Goodman), some sort of fine-art collecting tycoon, although we never learn of what exactly. Al’s purpose is to buy a brand-new bed for his perpetually screwed-up back and after settling on a fine fourteen-thousand dollar model arranges for his assistant to come by with payment.
Both we and Brian are then introduced to the second half of this Generation Y pas de deux, Happy. Well her real name is Harriet but that doesn’t make too much of a difference. As imbued by actress Zooey Deschanel, Happy is a shiny vase of outer perkiness containing an unfulfilled hollowness. She meets Paul through the luxury of not only being Al’s assistant but his youngest daughter as well. Bubbly and slightly dazed, she takes the liberty of falling asleep on her father’s new bed before delivery but has the courtesy to ask and make sure no one can see up her skirt. Where Brian is quiet and somewhat submissive, Happy is full-on cutey pie id; case in point, after taking Al to the hospital while his new bed is delivered, Happy politely chit-chats with Brian in the waiting room about finding her attractive. Not an idiot, he agrees and after her propositioning him for sex then and there, they find themselves in Al’s station wagon going at it like rabbits, but tastefully so (no tawdry nudity here unfortunately).
You might have already guessed it, both twenty-somethings fall in love. Brian’s engaged by her outgoing energy and Happy by his gentleness, yet both are definitely screwed-up by their families and lot in life, which probably accounts more for why they connect so well. The film attempts to impose their respective families’ somewhat disruptive quirks onto their nascent relationship and it works to a degree. Brian is consistently misunderstood by his well-meaning and successful older brothers, despite their own occasional dimness. Happy is constantly harangued by her father and talk-show hosting sister while seeking connection with her mother.
In fact, Deschanel owns the film’s emotional crown jewel as she calls up her estranged mother, living in Florida alone, lying her teeth out about how great her life is and pushing her daughter away. It is a credit to Deschanel’s skill that she imbues her relatively, underwritten portrait with subtle, heartrending pathos as we watch this girl try and reach out for the warmth she so desperately craves. Oh and all the while, Brian is stalked by a homeless assassin played by standup comedian Zach Galifianakis, sans dialogue I’m afraid. Tonally, Gigantic strives for a rather surrealistic approach from the odd assassin subplot (although this is resolved in a rather symbolic manner late in the film) to Al’s New Age kvetching all the way to watching Ed Asner walking through the woods having a heart-to-heart talk with his son while tripping on mushrooms. If it all sounds a bit disjointed well then you’d be right.
The biggest issue with Gigantic is that it’s a collection of decent, playful bits that never quite synthesize into a smooth, compelling narrative. So many plot threads are thrown out there that it could go any which way before finally settling into an unsteady rhythm. These are issues with script though, the acting saves the viewing experience. Dano continues to prove he’s a reliable and interesting actor to keep an eye on, able to handle a lead role with quiet intelligence and ability to draw the viewer in without demonstrative excess. Deschanel as well craftily provides the perfect amount of good-natured, spacey obliviousness that her character requires and can’t help but be charming on screen. The veteran performers though from Goodman to Asner and an all-too brief appearance by Jane Alexander have the most fun in hamming it up. They all exude bigger than life personalities whose self-interested natures have created such imprints on their offspring. Goodman is a pain in the ass that you can’t help but love and Asner is just plain odd, enough said. All in all though, the film provides a pleasant background for these actors to play around in and in the end their enjoyable work is enough to justify checking this one out.