Solo’s co-scribe cut his teeth with this sneakily poignant dramedy
For better or worse (depending on who you ask), Solo: A Star Wars Story is now officially part of the Star Wars legacy. The much-publicized prequel to the legendary film saga has been closely watched for months, with fans noting every bump in the road on the movie’s voyage to the big screen.
The great Lawrence Kasdan, writer of two out of the three installments from the original trilogy (who also returned to pen The Force Awakens in 2015), is back again, bringing with him his son, writer/director Jonathan Kasdan. It’s the younger Kasdan’s biggest assignment to date. Up until now the filmmaker has followed in the footsteps of his acclaimed father by crafting a number of projects featuring his own distinct voice, the best of these being the “blink and you miss it” 2007 dramedy In the Land of Women.
Carter Webb (Adam Brody) isn’t living his best life. He’s an aspiring screenwriter whose career has been relegated to writing scripts for porn films. Carter has also just been dumped by his actress girlfriend Sofia (Elena Anaya) due to her rising career. Depressed and devoid of all optimism, Carter decides to leave L.A. to go to Michigan in order to stay with his elderly grandmother Phyllis (Olympia Dukakis) who is now in need of care because of her old age. Not long after he arrives, Carter encounters Sarah (Meg Ryan), an upper-middle class housewife with a teenage daughter named Lucy (Kristen Stewart). Both Sarah and Lucy take to Carter, developing a friendship with him which allows them to reveal the problems behind their suburban lives. In the process of getting to know them, Carter eventually learns to face the crisis in his own life.
In the Land of Women may seem like a frothy exercise, at least from the trailer, yet it manages to be a timeless peek into the heavily conditioned relationships individuals succumb to. Sarah has a very compromised relationship with Lucy, with the latter full of disdain for her mother because of what she has become and the fact that she may follow in her footsteps. Sarah knows how her eldest daughter sees her, but finds herself stifled and stuck, with little way to reverse the choices she’s made in her life. Still, there’s the idea that she hasn’t given up hope for her and Lucy having a meaningful bond. “Listen, I don’t know what happens next,” Sarah says to Lucy at one point in the film. “I’m just going to keep loving you and I’m going to keep hoping you let me into your life.” When Sarah develops breast cancer, Lucy sees her for the mother she’s always loved and the woman she actually is. “I don’t wanna miss the part where I actually get to know you,” she tells her mother. As for Carter, it’s the insights he gains from befriending both Sarah and Lucy which leads him to discover the compromised relationship he’s had with the world and himself. As a person, Carter is sarcastic, but good-natured. Yet Carter tends to believe he doesn’t deserve any better than he’s been given, and therefore maintains an arms-length existence with mostly everyone, until he finds himself pulled out.
The crux of In the Land of Women is an honest tale of damaged people leaning on other damaged people. Carter, Sarah, and Lucy are all beautiful looking specimens and the epitome of first world. Yet their privileged lives are stifled and defenseless when it comes to the problems they face. In Lucy’s case it’s trying to reconcile herself with the fact that she’s growing up and doesn’t know the kind of person she will become. For Sarah, it’s her unexpected illness, the state of her marriage, and the inability to relate to her daughters. Finally, for Carter it’s the will and strength to rise above the career and romantic trappings which have left him unsure of what kind of existence he is meant to have. Kasdan’s script comes loaded with lots of charming dialogue which helps to make the more somber moments palatable without shortchanging the film’s overall heft. Instances full of the kind of easy whimsy include the scene where Phyllis first greets Carter by tiredly remarking, “I can’t believe I’m still alive,” or Carter explaining to Sarah, “I pride myself on being such a good listener, but whenever I meet someone new I find I’m doing all the talking,” to which Sarah replies, “Maybe you’re not such a good listener.” “Huh,” asks Carter in return.
In the Land of Women may have been seen by some as a test for Adam Brody’s bankability (the actor was still enjoying the popularity from his hit series, The O.C. at the time), but the joke was on the naysayers as Brody ably carried the film, giving Carter life through dry quips and a sincerity mixed with slight optimism. A pre-Twilight Stewart matched him well by expertly showing her “wise beyond her years” knack for bringing out a character’s soul. In her hands, the audience never hates Lucy; instead they get her. Finally, as Sarah, Ryan has never been more raw and vulnerable. The actress allows herself a few cute “Meg Ryan” moments before tapping into the honest and telling fears many women over 40 face. The result is Ryan’s best performance on screen to date.
No one seemed to know what to make of In the Land of Women. The studio delayed the release date, no doubt in an effort to get a handle of the movie’s marketing campaign. Critics mostly praised the film, but seemed to be confused as to what kind of audience it was meant for. It was a valid question as the public unanimously ignored the film, which quickly disappeared almost immediately following its initial release.
If nothing else, In the Land of Women, reaffirmed the notion that the Kasdan family legacy lives on. As a writer AND a writer/director, Lawrence Kasdan can count projects as diverse as Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Chill, The Bodyguard and Body Heat on his resume. While his output has yet to grow, Jonathan Kasdan has shown the same talent for crafting truly involving characters and plot; key hallmarks of a true cinematic storyteller. In the Land of Women to this day remains a little-known entity due to its existence as a simple, unassuming tale about life and ordinary people with ordinary problems. Yet through its rich dialogue and genuine comments on human relationships, it’s that very sense of “ordinary,” which makes it exceptional.
