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As more and more of Hollywood’s beloved stars reach a certain age, we seem to be seeing more and more films about aging actors—like Michael Keaton’s nine-time Oscar nominee, Birdman. Al Pacino offers his own perspective on the plight of the aging actor in director Barry Levinson’s The Humbling, the strangely wacky story of a star whose spotlight is dimming.
The Humbling stars Pacino as Simon Axler, an aging star who’s lived his life on the stage—to the point that he can no longer tell the difference between art and real life. He’s always acting—always working on his character and perfecting his delivery. But as he gets older, he finds his gift fading. He forgets his lines and struggles to make them believable. So, during a performance, he finally breaks, throwing himself off the stage, into the orchestra.
After a failed suicide attempt, Simon decides to retire. But an affair with his friends’ lesbian daughter (Greta Gerwig) changes everything—and the drama, passion, and dysfunction that she brings with her eventually inspire Simon to return to work.
Based on the novel by Philip Roth, The Humbling is a perplexing look inside the mind of a fading star—because this fading star’s mind isn’t especially sound. Simon admits early on that he’s lost his grip on reality—and as he recounts his experiences to his therapist through Skype sessions, it becomes clear that some of the things that Simon believes to have happened may not have happened at all. But which events are real and which are imagined? Well, it’s hard to say—and that makes for a rather maddening experience.
At times, the film hints at the various points that it may or may not be trying to make. Maybe it’s trying to say something about aging. Or about relationships. Or about our priorities in life. But just when it seems to be getting somewhere, another obsessive ex or angry parent or homicidal psychiatric patient pops up to send the film spinning into another bizarre tangent.
In a way, The Humbling is a lot like Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice: a bewildering story that, in the end, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. But while Inherent Vice has its far-out ‘70s style and a cast full or amusing characters to keep it entertaining, The Humbling relies solely on Pacino to carry its confounding dramedy. And even though the star gives a noteworthy performance in a demanding role that requires everything from Shakespearian drama to outrageous comedy, it simply isn’t enough to make the whole puzzling experience seem worthwhile.
Somewhere in The Humbling, there could very well be a meaningful message about getting older—but it gets lost in a jumble of awkwardly comic characters and random subplots. So unless you’re a big fan of Al Pacino, the film is most likely more frustrating than it’s worth.
Ed. Note: The Humbling is showing in select theaters—but if it’s not playing in a theater near you, you can find it on streaming services such as Amazon Instant Video.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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