Thursday October 27, UNION SQUARE

On my final night of AFF '11 I decided to go with the last screening at the Paramount theater, mainly because an old Hollywood crush would be in attendance. The Austin Film Festival closed their marquee screenings with a lovely film about family and dealing with loss. Written and directed by Nancy Savoca, UNION SQUARE stars Mira Sorvino (crush) and Tammy Blanchard as two estranged sisters who reconnect on Thanksgiving after not speaking with one another for some time. Lucy (Sorvino), upset after being jilted by a lover, looks up her younger sister Jenny (Tammy Blanchard). Originally from the Bronx, Jenny left home to get away from the family drama of her mother Lucia (Patti LuPone) and her older sister Lucy who's very much like their mother. Even though Jenny's life is more peaceful, the seemingly perfect life she has made for herself is not completely genuine. Both sisters awkwardly catch-up and the drama that ensues helps both of them face truths about themselves they had avoided for so long.

I was impressed by Savoca's incredible script and also by the performances of Blanchard and Sorvino. The film has a simple structure and limited locations which could translate well as stage play. Driven by realistic writing, character development, and amazing acting, the film exceeded my expectations and was a satisfactory conclusion to my coverage of the fest. Writer/director Savoca and actress Sorvino attended the screening and participated in the Q & A that followed. Savoca stated that her script was "strongly written, but had a breathing space for improvisation." This is clearly evident in the genuine performances by the cast which didn't feel staged at all. Savoca felt driven to capture a "raw emotion" which is often absent from movies. Sorvino claims that the two weeks she spent with Blanchard getting to know her well really helped with their chemistry. Sorvino also contributed all of her wardrobe from the film which is hyper-colorful and often loud. She attributes this to her Italian side. "My Italian side of the family wears strong loud colors which reflects their loud colorful personality." Mira clearly embraced this side for the Lucy character.

Because of the excellent writing and superb performance of Sorvino and Blanchard, I encourage audiences to seek out this film. I, honestly, am not aware of any theatrical video release dates, but recommend that people keep an eye out for it.

Mark Saldana

The Movie Doc