Margaret (2011); drama film review

Poster artwork for the dram film Margaret.

Mourning Margaret by Linh

It took five years for the little independent film Margaret to make it to the cinemas, following a slew of law suits involving director Kenneth Lonergan’s post-production and editing process problems. Lonergan originally planned for a three-hour length film but eventually settled for a two-and- a-half-hour edited version by Martin Scorsese and Thelma Schoonmaker. The result is a beautifully filmed and wonderfully acted film of teenage angst, anger, death and moral responsibility.

DEVASTATION: Lisa (Anna Paquin) comforts a dying Monica (Allison Janney) shortly after the accident in the film Margaret. Image: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

The film is inspired by the poem Spring and Fall by nineteenth century English poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, with the film named after a girl in this poem. The poem has the author addressing a girl (Margaret) about death and decay, as the child cries when the autumn leaves fall from the trees and she mourns the falling leaves as if they were dying. The author comments on how age will alter her innocence so, although she cannot clearly articulate her sadness now due to her tender age, she will come to know the reality and meaning of death and suffering when she is older. Therefore, not only does Margaret learn to understand death, she also becomes aware of her own mortality. These thoughts and emotions are expressed throughout the film’s narrative and reflect the poem’s sentiment beautifully through the portrayal of the character Lisa. Spring and Fall is also read aloud during a scene in the film by Matthew Broderick.

ACCUSED: Bus driver Jason (Mark Ruffalo) approaches the accident scene in the film Margaret. Image: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

The film Margaret opens in a New York high school, with Lisa (Anna Paquin) in Geometry class as her teacher (Matt Damon) hands back test papers, and he wrote the comment “See Me” on her paper. They have a discussion about cheating, with Lisa successfully talking her way out of trouble again. During English class, Lisa again displays her sharp wit. Her father phones to invite her over to his ranch and suggests she take equestrian lessons beforehand. Lisa decides to buy a cowboy hat to take with her to the trip and on the way to the shop, she notices a bus driver (Mark Ruffalo) wearing a cowboy hat. She runs along the road waving and motioning to him about where he bought his hat. As he was gesturing back to her, he ran a red light and drives over a female pedestrian, Monica Paterson (Allison Janney). As Monica dies in Lisa’s arms, Lisa becomes deeply affected by the death, and the aftermath of the incident forms the rest of the film’s narrative. Lisa experiences painful emotional consequences, from confrontations with those involved with the accident to her own irresponsible and risky behaviour, before finally taking responsibility for her role in the accident.

LITIGATION: Emily (Jeannie Berlin), Lisa (Anna Paquin) and Dave (Michael Ealy) discuss the legal procedure for the accident in the film Margaret. Image: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

The performances are excellent, particularly Paquin as the formidable Lisa; Jeannie Berlin is brilliant as Emily, the pragmatic and grieving friend of Monica who helps Lisa with the law suit; J. Smith-Cameron is superb as Lisa’s mother, the Broadway star Joan, whose relationship with Lisa becomes strained as she deals with her own work and new romance with Ramon (French film star Jean Reno); and Mark Ruffalo is wonderful as the bus driver, Jason Maretti Berstone, who is accused for not accepting responsibility for the death. The cameo appearances are equally good with opera singers Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Christine Goerke, stage and screen actor Allison Janney, and director Kenneth Lonergan.

Margaret may be a lengthy film, but there are so many moments layered with moral and philosophical reflections of personal responsibility, aspects of crime and punishment, that the viewer will likely feel the painful and powerful effect on the characters’ lives.

Director: Kenneth Lonergan

Writers: Kenneth Lonergan (screenplay), Gerard Manley Hopkins (poem)

Cast: Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, J. Smith-Cameron, Jeannie Berlin, Jean Reno, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kieran Culkin, Olivia Thirlby, Allison Janney, John Gallagher Jnr., Matt Bush, Hina Abdullah, Enid Graham, Michael Ealy, Brittany Underwood, Jake O’Connor, Kenneth Lonergan, Melissa Rocco, Betsy Aidem, Adam Rose, Sarah Steele, Cyrus Hernstadt, Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Christine Goerke

Producers: Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Scott Rudin, Blair Breard, Gary Gilbert

Cinematographer: Ryszard Lenczewski

Original Music Composer: Nico Muhly

Film Editors: Anne McCabe, Martin Scorsese (final edit) and Thelma Schoonmaker (final edit)

Production: Dan Leigh (Production Designer), James Donahue (Art Director), Ron von Blomberg (Set Decorator)

Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes