A delightful indie comedy about hairstyles, changing times and a family’s bond.
Hair is a huge recurring element throughout the recent indie comedy Permanent. The film opens with a young girl begging her mother for a new hairdo upon their arrival at a new town. Even the film’s title itself refers to the perm; the once popular hairstyle which was sought after by many back in the day. It may seem trivial, but Permanent turns the seemingly minor plot point into a telling theme illustrating the primal need to fit in and start over. Hair is one of the ultimate symbols of that, representing confidence, ability and one’s own self-view. It’s a motif which extends to both daughter and father in Colette Burson’s follow-up feature; a sweet unassuming comedy which shows how, much like her hair, the main character is just trying to work herself out.
Set in the early 1980s, Permanent tells the story of the Dickson family as they relocate to a new town in Virginia. Dad Jim (Rainn Wilson) is a former Flight Steward with the Air Force now enrolling in college with the hopes of eventually going to med school, mom Jeanne (Patricia Arquette) is the glue trying as hard as she can to hold the family together and daughter Aurelie (Kira McLean) is a young teen going through growing pains who wants nothing more than to stand out from the pack at her new school. Through the turbulent months that follow, the Dicksons will go through a number of hilarious and life-changing experiences which will force them to look at themselves differently.
The script for Permanent quickly paints the Dicksons a family full of love, but who are completely unapologetic with one another. “I don’t know why you spend so much time trying to be beautiful. Let’s be realistic- you’ll probably turn out just cute.” Jeanne tells Aurelie when her daughter presents the idea of getting a perm, which causes Aurelie to throw a tantrum. “I didn’t say you were ugly,” Jeanne says defending her comment. “I said you were cute. Cute is VERY high on the scale.” The sheer joy of Permanent is how its humor comes out of the most natural situations. The story of how Aurelie got her name is made hilarious when we see Jeanne’s face fall as she says: “It sounded like a good idea at the time.” The humor extends outside the walls of the Dickson family home and into Aurelie’s school life, which includes a very pregnant teacher Mrs. Tripp (Abby Wathen), whose stern-ish attitude is heavily accentuated by her physical state. When Aurelie attempts to make amends with the class bully (Kaleigh Jo Keller), offering her a gift, Mrs. Tripp states to the small tormentor: “Are you touched? You should be touched,” with a frighteningly stern look and voice.
The setting of Permanent, as described in the beginning of the film, simply states: “Somewhere in Virginia, 1982.” This is the only description needed as far as I’m concerned. It’s always interesting to see how films set in the late 70s/early 80s reconstruct society. Historically, it was such a strong transitionary time between the Reagan and Carter eras; two periods of history which came to represent a pair of separate and distinct decades. Everything, including movies, music and the general culture, was in flux. It was the kind of change which came with every decade, but none quite like this one. The way Permanent illustrates this through a family who was likewise searching for an identity that fit, is telling and accurate depiction of society’s mood during that time, which was trying to shake off stagnation before being blindsided by Reaganomics. It’s the perfect backdrop to tell a story about a family going through vast changes themselves and trying to find their rhythm as a unit. Permanent takes things further with regards to its historical context when it becomes a film which shows that a true family bond can remain unshakeable regardless of the changing times around them.
Performance-wise, there couldn’t have been three better lead actors cast to bring Permanent to life. Wilson employs his trademark brand of slightly maniacal comedy, but injects a pathos and a vulnerability that’s a joy to watch. By contrast, Arquette has rarely been as silly and goofy as she is here, enjoying the chance to play funny along the lines of a slightly grounded Lucille Ball. Finally, newcomer McLean makes for a relatable and endearing presence, never once coming off as whiny, but rather genuinely frustrated. The trio make for an unconventional family, but they way the actors read and respond to each other is spot on, making their collection of scenes together the film’s true pleasure.
Permanent is the kind of small indie gem that’s full of genuine laughs and doesn’t follow any kind of blueprint. It’s purely its own thing. While some scenes and moments could have been held a bit longer to accentuate the pure tenderness within them, such as when Jim rubs Jeanne’s feet after a long day, there’s a sweetness and an innocence to it that isn’t trying too hard because it just doesn’t have to. It’s fair to say that the film’s structure could’ve used some tightening here and there to keep it from feeling like a collection of moments loosely holding together the narrative. Yet much like the family you come from, Permanent’s flaws are standard and easy to overlook. “No family is normal like every other family,” says the group therapist at the local community center the Dicksons attend. “See there,” comments Jim. “We’re just like everybody else.”
The Package
A handful of deleted/alternate scenes as well as a couple of Wilson-hosted featurettes complete the bulk of the disc’s special features.
The Lowdown
Permanent is the kind of precious indie you never get tired of.
Permanent is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment.
