by Frank Calvillo
The Family Fang begins with a voiceover in which a man states: “Own the moment. When you’re in control, then the chaos will happen around you, not to you.” It’s a very true and powerful saying which is applicable to every person existing in modern society. It also says a great deal about taking hold of the human condition when most people find such a concept impossible. It’s that kind of underlying subtext which runs throughout the course of The Family Fang, a slightly fantastic comedy/drama/mystery, which blends ideas of art and family, while also managing to remain somewhat grounded in the very real world.
The Family Fang stars Jason Bateman, who also directs, and Nicole Kidman as Baxter and Annie Fang, the grown up children of Caleb and Camille Fang (Christopher Walken and Maryann Plunkett) who spent their childhoods taking part in their parents’ many works of performance art, which were outrageous situations staged in public settings and documented to record their effects on innocent bystanders. Such acts made the Fangs famous, but had long-lasting impact on Annie and Baxter. Many years later, the two are forced to re-visit their childhood when it appears that their parents have vanished without a trace, leading the two to question whether something has really happened to them, or if this is their ultimate piece of work.
One of the most compelling aspects about The Family Fang is how it brings up the question of what exactly constitutes art. I have always believed art to be a subjective form, open to seemingly limitless interpretation. Therefore it became especially interesting to note what the Fangs considered to be art in their eyes. The opening flashback sequence of the film features a young Baxter going up to a teller with a gun and a note telling her to remain calm and hand over all the lollipops she has on her desk, upon which Caleb, who has been working at the bank for three months as a security guard simply to execute the piece, intervenes, leading to an innocent woman (Camille) being “shot” in front of Annie. When young Baxter goes over and tastes the fake blood, proclaiming it tastes like maple syrup, Camille breaks character and the four scamper away, much to the shock and awe of the “audience.” The idea of such an act being considered art is a no-brainer for some, yet debatable for others. As Caleb points out later on in the film: “The art is in the actual moment as it’s happening. Real people really responding, the actual human condition. Not some artist’s version of it.”
As one would expect, such an unorthodox way of life undoubtedly has profound long-term effects on children. Annie and Baxter are certainly proof of that. As adults, the two have carved out lives for themselves (Annie is a successful actress, Baxter is a bestselling author). Personal problems aside, the two enjoy accomplished careers in spite of, and in some way, also because of the upbringing their parents gave them. Yet it’s clear — from her alcoholism, and his dependency on prescription medication — that these are two issue-riddled individuals, deeply resentful of the lives they had as children. Any yet, in spite of this, there is an undeniable warmth, love and bond seen in the flashback sequences showing the family pieces that, although oftentimes strange, is hard not to find touching. When asked about the topic of family, Caleb’s philosophy is certainly striking: “Children don’t have to kill the art. They are the art.”
Bateman really proves himself as a director here without shortchanging himself as an actor either. His work as Baxter is perhaps the most skilled of his career so far, balancing lightness with a slightly damaged edge. Kidman, meanwhile does the type of consuming work she has become famous for. The role of Annie is a complex one, and I’m not quite sure many other actresses could have brought her silent torment to the surface quite like Kidman does here. Finally, Walken is the best he’s been in years as a man whose life work and passion has taken him over to the point of unrecognizability in what may be the most deep and showy role of his career.
The Family Fang was such a mesmerizing experience from start to finish. The manner in which it illustrates the utmost devotion and passion to art to the point of lunacy is incredible. However, what makes it most exceptional is the way it presents a portrait of family dysfunction that’s never been seen before, and takes it to such an unbelievable extreme in ways I dare not mention. When Annie asks Baxter if he thinks their parents are dead, he simply answers: “If they’re dead, its horrible. But if they’re not dead, its kind of worse…in a lot of different ways. So I just think they’re gone.”
