Manglehorn – Schlüssel zum Glück (2014)
69KManglehorn – Schlüssel zum Glück: Directed by David Gordon Green. With Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine, Chris Messina. Left heartbroken by the woman he loved and lost many years ago, Manglehorn, an eccentric small-town locksmith, tries to start his life over again with the help of a new friend.
“Greetings again from the darkness. For those of us who grew up with 1970u0026#39;s cinema, itu0026#39;s been painful to watch Al Pacinou0026#39;s career over the last two decades with only a couple of exceptions. We have longed for the actor who became Michael Corleone, and cringed with each outing that seemed to parody his Oscar winning performance in A Scent of a Woman (1983). Along comes the latest from director David Gordon Green and with it a reappearance of that actor so worshipped by John Travoltau0026#39;s character in Saturday Night Fever.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA.J. Manglehorn is an elderly locksmith who lives each day under his self-designed cloud of despair. His droopy eyes, droopy shoulders and droopy social skills are eclipsed only by his love for Fanny the cat, and his daily letters to Clara – the long lost love of his life. The only other signs of life in Mr. Manglehorn are displayed when he is telling a customer that itu0026#39;s time to wash their car, when he is hanging out with his granddaughter, or when he is exchanging Friday flirtations with bank teller Dawn (a sparkling Holly Hunter).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDirector David Gordon Green is best known for comedies such as Pineapple Express (2008), The Sitter (2011), and TVu0026#39;s u0026quot;Eastbound u0026amp; Downu0026quot;, and while this one (filmed in Austin, Texas) has some awkward and offbeat comedic moments, it would have to be categorized as a drama. Symbolism is everywhere as Manglehorn keeps his emotions u0026quot;lockedu0026quot; away from his snooty yuppie son (Chris Messina) and retreats into his imaginary relationship with Clara, rather than embracing Dawnu0026#39;s brave come-on.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are a couple of extraordinary scenes Pacino and Messina talking around, rather than about, their relationship and the type of men they are; and the excruciatingly awkward and heart-breaking first date between Pacino and Hunter. The forlorn Manglehorn remains behind the locked door and allows the shadow of his dream girl to cast a pall, despite having a real life dream girl sitting across the table.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePacino recaptures his mastery of the close-up. Such emotion from so little apparent movement is the work of a once great master who proves he still has it. Some may be put off by the lack of big action, but these are people living life and trying to make the best of it. There is a line from the movie, u0026quot;When you choose this life, there is no oneu0026quot;. Itu0026#39;s a line that tells us so much about Manglehornu0026#39;s daily approach. Whether he finds the right key matters to us for one reason Pacino makes us care.”
