“I’m always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality.” – Flannery O’Connor
Look for exceptional performances in Ethan Hawke’s biopic “Wildcat” starring daughter Maya Hawke as Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor, who wrote over thirty short stories and two novels before passing away from lupus at 39. Laura Linney, dynamic as ever, plays Flannery’s prim and persistent mother, Regina, plus the film features cameos by Vincent D’Onofrio, Steve Zahn, and Liam Neeson. It was co-written by Shelby Gaines, who pulls double duty by teaming up with his brother Latham to compose the score.
The unconventional biopic begins with Maya Hawke’s unique voice, a bit hoarse with a Southern twang, as she narrates her novel, “The Violent Bear It Away.” The sound of a typewriter accompanies her spoken words as the 1960 story is acted out on screen. Many of the author’s works are showcased as vignettes, with Maya and Linney playing various characters from O’Connor’s short stories.
25-year-old Maya, best known for playing Robin Buckley on the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” is unrecognizable as author Flannery O’Connor. The 50s cat eye glasses, darkened hair, and librarian wardrobe have aged the actress significantly. At times, underneath the makeup and vintage clothing, she resembles her famous mother, Uma Thurman—props to award-winning costume designer Amy Andrews.
As good as Maya is in ‘Wildcat”, it’s nearly impossible for the young actress to overshadow Laura Linney’s performance as Flannery’s overbearing mother, Regina, whose storied life deserves her own biopic. It’s a master class in acting.
The film takes place in the 50s when O’Connor blossomed as a writer. By all accounts, she was a paradox—a devout Irish Catholic who wrote about the “freaks” of the South. She drew inspiration for her stories from everyday people she encountered in the world. In one scene, Flannery sees a one-armed man at the train station, which leads to the short story “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” with Steve Zahn playing the man with a missing limb who takes advantage of an intellectually disabled woman and her mother, a toothless Linney biting into the role of Lucynell Crater.
The biopic written by Shelby Gaines and Ethan Hawke contains many instances of inspiration that feel satisfying, if not 100% accurate. This is refreshing, especially after the recent slew of music biopics that failed to show how their subjects were inspired to write their biggest songs. The vignettes showcase Flannery’s endless imagination, many of which take place immediately after the author’s motivational moments.
It may be jarring the first time the film segues from Flannery’s life to a scene from one of her stories, especially with Maya and Linney playing multiple roles. However, it’s a clever way to keep the audience engaged, especially when you factor in that Flannery spent most of her life, from the age of 24 until she passed away fifteen years later, writing in a room of her mother’s home in Milledgeville, Georgia, a prisoner to her disabling condition.
There is a standout scene just seven minutes into the film where Flannery travels to New York to meet with an editor (a very good Alessandro Nivola) who is considering publishing her first novel “Wise Blood.” He’s contentious from the beginning, “Ms. O’Connor, I respect you, so I’m going to be honest. Sometimes, I feel like you’re trying to stick pins in your readers.” He then accuses her of trying to “pick a fight” with the reader before handing her pages of rewrites disguised as “notes.” You don’t have to have an imagination like Flannery’s to figure out what happens next.
The New York scene with Nivola is one of two straightforward moments in the biopic; most of the film is enveloped in a surreal atmosphere aided by Steve Cosens’ gorgeous cinematography. The blue filter adds a sense of coldness.
The other straightforward moment features Liam Neeson as an Irish priest called to the O’Connor home after Flannery takes a nasty spill down the stairs. They discuss her ailments, novelist James Joyce (“He’s banned in Ireland,” comments the priest), talking to Jesus, and Flannery’s faith. “Maybe God finds us in the darkness, not in the light,” the troubled author comments. Maya shines bright in the moment with a performance usually delivered by a much more seasoned actor. “You don’t need to see grace; it’s always here,” remarks the father, Neeson’s tone comforting both Flannery and the viewer.
From the Grindhouse opening, featuring a fake trailer for Flannery’s “The Comforts of Home” featuring a nymphomaniac named Star Drake who gets arrested for passing bad checks (look for a cameo by Vincent D’Onofrio as the county sheriff), to the film’s configuration, showcasing Flannery O’Connor’s fertile years while showcasing her stories as vignettes, “Wildcat” may not be the definitive biopic fans expect, but it pays tribute to one of the greatest Southern Gothic writers of the 20th Century in an idiosyncratic and unpredictable way that mirrors its unconventional subject.
(3 ½ stars)
Now showing at the Texas Theatre
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