It’s hard to fault director Bart Freundlich for the flaws of his latest film, Trust the Man. Sure, Freundlich wrote and directed the movie. But when your last picture grossed $98,035 domestically, as Freundlich’s World Traveler did in 2002, it’s easy to understand why he took pains to ensure his latest movie appealed to a wider audience.
With his new release, Freundlich knits a unisex, one-size-fits-all romantic comedy. The women feel as if they’re sitting in a New York City coffee shop with Rebecca (Julianne Moore, Freedomland) and Elaine (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mona Lisa Smile and the sister of everyone’s favorite Brokeback Mountain cowboy), talking endlessly about fate and the various facets of relationships. The men can be found at home with Tom (David Duchovny, most commonly known as Mulder from The X-Files) and Tobey (Billy Crudup, Mission Impossible III) as they alternately watch SportsCenter and porn.
Playing to each sex provides both clever and comedic scenes and suggests a box office fate far better than World Traveler. But in trying to reach a broader audience, Freundlich stretches the film too thin. His reliance on cliches, humor of the lowest common denominator and an unimaginative plot obstructs fine performances by the four stars, particularly Crudup and Gyllenhaal. In the end, Trust the Man‘s reluctance to be bold keeps it from being a great film.
The movie opens with shots of various couples out and about in New York City, then moves inside the homes of married couple Rebecca and Tom and dating couple Elaine and Tobey, who have been dating for seven years. Rebecca and Tobey are siblings; accordingly, the couples are very close.
From the first scene, Freundlich establishes the feckless male leads. Unmindful of a repairman visiting the house, Tom speaks loudly of burping, farting and pooping. Meanwhile Tobey refuses to take Elaine to work because he might lose his precious curbside parking spot.
The immaturity of the men is apparent throughout the movie. Tom is a sex-obsessed stay-at-home dad who picks up porn magazines when buying groceries. His normal morning routine includes eating breakfast, masturbating, taking a nap and having a late lunch.
Tobey is not much more advanced; at age 36, his screen name is assman204.
The men contrast markedly with Rebecca and Elaine, modern women trying to make their mark in the city. Rebecca is a successful actress; Elaine, a fledgling author. Both characters are refined, which makes them effective foils for their male companions.
Predictably, the couples’ differences lead to each of their demise. Tom wants more sex from Rebecca – twice a day, optimally doggy style – and when she doesn’t provide it he makes himself vulnerable to other interests. Enter Pamela (Dagmara Dominczyk, Prisoner), a mother whose kids attend school with Tom’s.
As for Tobey, well, he enjoys sex, just not for reproductive purposes. He plays the stereotypical man who is afraid of commitment; his aversion to getting married and having children eventually drives Elaine away.
I won’t disclose what happens next, but the outcome of the movie is neither creative nor heartening.
Given the film’s smart, young actors, an enlightening or refreshing ending is not too much to expect. Ultimately, the same immaturity that runs throughout the movie – Tobey returns from the bathroom of a fine restaurant to tell Elaine, “Honey, looks like I finally digested that corn” – hinders the ending.
As for the title, ‘the Man‘ could be taken multiple ways: the man, as in a penis-equipped human being; the man, as in big business or government; or The Man, as in the creator, the big guy in the sky.
With the frequent talk of predetermination, Elaine asks at various points, “Do you ever wonder what your life would be life if you’d chosen someone different?” and “Do you believe in fate?” Freundlich seems to suggest the latter. That choice results in characters, particularly Elaine, who lack the gumption to strike out on her own and chart her own course. If the female leads were truly modern women, they would know that the past does not have to portend the future.
Instead, Rebecca and Elaine treat their male companions like wet clothes – hanging them out to dry before taking them back in. Eventually Rebecca and Elaine decide (or perhaps fate requires them) to literally trust the man.
Such compromising makes for a Snickers-like ending: sweet but ultimately unhealthy. The caliber of the actors demands something with more ingenuity and less Hollywood schmaltz.
Moore, in particular, took a risk by accepting this project, her third film directed by Freundlich. Given that none of the movies have brought her the acclaim her considerable acting ability deserves, perhaps it’s time Moore stops putting her trust in Freundlich.
Then again, who am I to talk? She’s married to the man.
VERDICT: B-
Contact reporter Brenden Lowe at lowedbk@gmail.com.
