Hi everyone!
Welcome back to Streaming Saturdays! We’re still catching up on Netflix Originals, so here’s another one from last Friday, and we’re getting to the others as soon as possible. For the last few Netflix Originals, check out “Bleach” (Episode #262), “On My Skin” (Episode #259), “The Resistance Banker” (Episode #258), “City of Joy” (Episode #256), “The Most Assassinated Woman in the World” (Episode #255), “Next Gen” (Episode #252), and “Sierra Burgess is a Loser” (Episode #251). Whew! And if you have any suggestions, let me know at onemoviepunch.com.
And now...
Today’s movie is “The Land of Steady Habits” (2018), the Netflix Original dramedy written and directed by Nicole Holofcener. The film follows Anders Hill (Ben Mendelsohn), a privileged man who decides to leave the world of finance, his wife Helene (Edie Falco), and his adult son Preston (Thomas Mann) to live on his own. However, when he develops an irresponsible relationship with a drug-addled teen named Charlie (Charlie Tahan), he begins to reevaluate the choices he has made.
Spoilers ahead.
I always hate writing a review that goes against the general consensus, like my review earlier this week for “The Predator” (Episode #260). I feel like I have to spend an overt amount of time justifying my opinions, which I know aren’t always everyone’s taste. Let’s take today’s film, “The Land of Steady Habits”, one that is so saturated in wealth and privilege from the get go, and with such an unlikeable character in Anders Hill, not to mention virtually everyone else involved. I know that my views on gross wealth inequality makes it difficult for me to identify with folks arguing over who gets the multi-million dollar home and who has to tough it out in a giant condo they’re decorating while they find themselves. Sometimes the viewer is given a wry, somewhat ironic look at these situations, but overall I just stopped caring after Charlie is taken out by the doctor at the initial party.
It’s not just the script, though. “The Land of Steady Habits” feels like a two-part episode in the third or fourth season of an ongoing television drama. You can obviously tell there’s a lot more backstory than is ever revealed in the film, but all that missing backstory feels crucial to developing a relationship with any of these characters. I also had a hard time seeing Edie Falco and Charlie Tahan as anything but their television show counterparts, especially Charlie Tahan who felt like Wyatt from “Ozark” had taken a trip to visit friends. Not because of bad acting by any means, but because there felt like nothing else to hold on to. The film progressed to its extremely tragic and completely avoidable ending, one that involves poor Anders checking into a hotel for an extended stay to work out his depression, and letting his son who still obviously needs his support the incredible luxury of moving in with him. I have no idea what the meaning or message of the film is supposed to be, and I’m not sure Holofcener does either.
Now, is the film a total waste? Not at all. I may have had a lot of structural problems with the film, but I thought the cast did well with the characters they were given, each one putting in a good performance despite some of the nonsensical story turns. I thought the costumes, sets, and locations were perfect for the nouveau riche characters and problems. I even appreciated a handful of scenes where I cracked a smile or a short laugh when the film almost becomes aware of itself. But I just can’t get past my inability to identify with any of the characters or situations, nor can I stop myself from thinking this film has a very small audience that will identify with it completely. It may have a larger audience of folks who doesn’t spend time thinking about the damning effects of extreme wealth inequality, however.
“The Land of Steady Habits” (2018) is a film full of privileged people dealing with privileged problems, which tells a series of tragic stories while never seeming to tell the complete story. Despite the premise and script, however, the cast is enjoyable and the locations are well chosen. Fans of family dramas may want to check out this film, but be warned that you may not be able to identify with the characters or the situations, at least not in the way this film does.
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
Metacritic: 72
One Movie Punch: 6.0
“The Land of Steady Habits” (2018) is rated TV-MA and is currently streaming on Netflix and in select theaters.
