Thursday, May 12, 2005
Crises in 'King' moving
MARGARET A. MCGURK | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
MOVIE REVIEW
King of the Corner
Grade: 7 (out of 10)
(R; some language, sexual references). Peter Riegert, Isabella Rossellini. Directed and co-written by Riegert. 93 minutes.
'King of the Corner" is the first feature directed by actor Peter Riegert, who also stars as Leo Spivak, the unhappy middle-aged man at the center of the film.
This wry, emotional and low-key slice of life is based on stories by Gerald Shapiro (who co-wrote the screenplay with Riegert), as an exploration of one man's unique midlife crisis.
Leo's life is defined largely by his job as a marketing executive. He's sick of the job, and resentful he has not moved higher, yet fearful he could be on the verge of being replaced.
His second key issue is his father (Eli Wallach), a crotchety retiree who has nothing but criticism for his son, who regularly flies across country to visit the elderly man. Rita Moreno shows up in a brief but appealing role as the old man's late-life girlfriend.
Finally, Leo feels at a loss at home, where his teenage daughter (Ashley Johnson) is growing defiant of both her father and mother, Rachel (Isabella Rossellini).
An encounter with an old high school flame sparks an emotional response that sends Leo into dangerous territory.
Things reach a nadir when Leo's father dies, and he finds himself dealing with funeral arrangements, an eccentric rabbi (a memorable Eric Bogosian) and his own conflicted feelings about his father.
Surrounded by his talented cast, Riegert navigates Leo's journey with skill and insight; he knows this character as well as any he has ever played.
The movie has its flaws. The pace does lag sometimes, and some critical moments are underplayed so much they all but disappear.
Still, "King of the Corner" is exactly the kind of idiosyncratic personal tale that film lovers yearn to see, but rarely do.
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