by Frank Calvillo
For me, Sally Field has always been the rarest of breeds. She is one of the few actresses who can bring forth raw truthfulness to the craft of acting while at the same time collecting enough goodwill to be considered a bona fide national treasure. Her most recent turn on camera in the dramedy Hello, My Name is Doris points to both these strengths, giving the actress her most compelling role in years and reminding critics and audiences alike just what she’s capable of.
Co-written and directed by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris sees Field starring as the the titular character. a woman in her sixties entering a new phase of her life. Doris’s mother has just passed away, leaving her daughter alone in the house they both shared, which is full of memories and enough personal possessions to qualify for hoarder status. Aside from a longtime friendship with the outspoken Roz (Tyne Daly) and the occasional lecture at the YWCA, Doris’s life is small and she is looked upon as a kooky old spinster by those who notice her. However, when a new younger coworker named John (Max Greenfield) transfers into her workplace, Doris develops an instant attraction to the 28-year-old, which she begins to pursue.
The heart of Hello, My Name is Doris without question lies in the richness of its main character. Doris is a person who radiates honesty and purity of the soul. But more than that, it’s the unique way she views the world which truly makes her an individual in spite of the way she is able to blend into her surroundings. At the same time, there’s a silent boldness to her as well, which eludes much of modern society. All of these traits are wonderfully illustrated in her clothing choices. Doris’s penchant for loud patterns, decades-old prints and styles, and mismatched outfits is the kind of wardrobe the majority of the population wouldn’t be caught dead in. For Doris, however, she approaches this kind of apparel, and what she wears in general, with reckless abandon. She dresses for herself, going for what she finds appealing and beautiful, without a hint of insecurity or longing for social approval.
During the press rounds for the film, Field perfectly described Hello, My Name is Doris as “a coming of age of a person of age.” Indeed, the film provides an effective portrait of someone who has spent years living her life for other people and is finally given the chance to live it for herself. Though her attraction to John is real, he serves as the catalyst for Doris to enter and participate in a part of life she never thought she could. There’s a scene when, in an effort to relate to John, she picks up a CD from one of his favorite artists, the electronic sensation Baby Goya. Though she is initially apprehensive when the music starts, she quickly begins to embrace the beat’s energetic vibe and eventually finds herself dancing wildly to it. It is such a beautiful scene to behold because it represents the moment where Doris begins to break free from the confines she has put on herself and starts to find her own true voice.
What makes Hello, My Name is Doris work so well as both a human story and a comedy is how it’s able to mix real pathos and solid laughs in such a sweeping way. A scene involving John (impressed when he discovers Doris likes Baby Goya) extending his fist out and asking her to pound it draws howls of laughter when a confused Doris reciprocates cupping her hand around it. At the same time, the scene between her and John in a late-night diner gives off a somewhat lovely melancholic feel as Doris is describing the time in her life when she made the decision to stay and care for her mother instead of leaving with her fiance, who had gotten a job in Arizona.
To say that Field is a revelation as Doris is very much an understatement. Her work here is so lovely and amazing, calling on every single one of her strengths as an actress, and may just top some of her more iconic roles in certain respects. Greenfield shows he wasn’t just hired to be a himbo for Doris by ensuring that his character’s own vulnerabilities come out. Greenfield and Showalter make sure the audience knows that John is a good guy who doesn’t see Doris as a novelty, but as a relatable and truly empathetic person.
A great collection of character actors surrounds the two, all of them doing top work, including Peter Gallagher, Stephen Root (excellent as Doris’s brother), and Elizabeth Reaser. None of them match Daly, however, who is clearly bolstered by her colorful character (“Communisim was a good idea in theory,” she proclaims at one point) and at times even threatens to outshine leading lady Field in one of her best performances.
I’m sure there are some who would love to see Hello, My Name is Doris end in a particular way, especially given the wonderful beauty of what had come before. Yet what those who may be unhappy with the ending need to realize is that the same kind of joy and effervescent spirit which carried the film the entire way through is more alive than ever in the final scene. Even though it’s not the ending some would prefer, there’s great excitement at the knowledge of Doris finally being ready to go out and find the kind of life she never thought she deserved to have. The world is ready for Doris, and Doris is ready for it.
The Package
The release of Hello, My Name is Doris comes complete with a standard director commentary track in which Showalter explains how the film came to be and the ins and outs of getting it made. There are also a handful of additional scenes and even an alternate opening included here, which, although they don’t add much to the overall experience, still carry that overall whimsical charm Showalter and company so beautifully captured.
The Lowdown
One of the best surprises of the year, Hello, My Name is Doris is a well-made tale of hilarity and emotion anchored by a career-best performance from Field.
Hello, My Name is Doris is now available on Blu-ray and DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Get it at Amazon
Hello, My Name is Doris — [Blu-ray] | [DVD] | [Amazon Video]
