INFINITELY POLAR
Written and Directed by Maya Forbes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide
For the first time, looking at the cast above, I see why Hollywood used to make movie stars change their names. INFINITELY POLAR is based on Forbes’ childhood, much of it spent with a bi-polar father in charge of the household. Ruffalo plays the bi-polar father who has spent time in institutions. When his allowance (wealthy grandmother) isn’t enough to support his family, his wife decides to return to school and puts him in charge of his two daughters, many miles away from the school she attends. She returns only on weekends and not every weekend. Of course, he gets into some scrapes and the girls are worried and forced to parent him a lot of the time.
I wish I had liked this movie more because it was so well-intentioned and played with such sincerity. But it sacrificed a real examination of the situation with its tendency to go for laughs and hugs. And Ruffalo seemed more quirky than bi-polar most of the time. It was certainly not a bad movie, but it could have been so much better if it was not so hagiographic.
Patti Abbott
In addition to being the Crimespree Senior Film Critic, Patti has penned numerous short stories and her debut novel, CONCRETE ANGEL, is in stores now. She hosts a look at Forgotten Books every Friday with readers, writers and reviewers at pattinase.blogspot.com. She hopes you’ll join in
