Director Travis Fine
Stars: Alan Cumming, Garrett Dillahunt, Isaac Leyva, Chris Mulkey, Kelli Williams, Jane Anne, Allman Frances, Fisher Alan, Rachins Don, Franklin Gregg, Henry Mindy, Sterling Doug, Spearman Randy, Roberts Michael, Nouri For his Movies At Dusk program on 3WBC 941FM Greg King spoke to director Travis Fine about the film Any Day Now To hear the interview click the link below
Based on a true story, Any Day Now is a heartwrenching poignant and powerfully moving film about a gay couple who try to adopt an abandoned teenager who has Downs Syndrome and find themselves battling homophobia, an uncaring bureaucracy, and an intensigent legal system that believes it is acting in the best interests of the child.
The film is set in West Hollywood in 1979, but what is most remarkable is how slowly attitudes have changed since then. There is still suspicion regarding gay couples and gay parents even in the 21st century. Any Day Now was written in the early 80s by screenwriter George Arthur Bloom who had personal knowledge of some of the people involve in the events depicted. Bloom is a prolific scriptwriter of television animated films and live action films like Disneys The Last Flight Of Noahs Ark etc.. Originally actors of the calibre of Jon Voight were attached to the project but for numerous reasons the film never got off the ground Blooms script languished in a drawer somewhere until it found its way into the hands of Travis Fine. The Spaces Between tv series The Young Riders etc. an actor turned director who loved the themes and ideas and fleshed out the details more. He has retained the 70s setting which makes the emotional impact of the story more resonant
Any Day Now boasts a superb career best performance from Alan Cumming familiar to many through his ongoing role in the popular tv series The Good Wife etc. Here he plays Rudy a flamboyant drag queen performing in a seocnd rate cabaret act and who is struggling to make ends meet .He lives in a squalid apartment block in West Hollywood where drug deals are an everyday occurence. One night his neighbour Jamie Anne Allman is arrested on drugs charges and carted off to jail leaving behind her teenaged son Marco newcomer Isaac Leyva Marco is afflicted with Downs Syndrome and left home alone he becomes confused and terrified. Rudy takes him into his place to tend to him while he can work out the best solution
He approaches Paul Garrett Dillahunt from Looper 12 Years A Slave etc a casual acquaintance and closeted lawyer with the DAs office to seek advice. Paul convinces Marcos mother to sign over temporary custody to Rudy Paul and Rudy move in to Pauls more spacious and comfortable house to provide Marco with a more secure and loving environment and begin to raise him. They even find him a good school that caters to children with special needs and under the sympathetic tutelage of Miss Flemming Kelli Williams Marco begins to blossom
But when the nature of the relationship between Rudy and Paul is accidentally revealed they find themselves with a fight on their hands to retain custody of Marco Pauls homophobic and vindictive boss DA Williams Chris Mulkey from First Blood Captain Phillips etc makes it his personal mission to remove Marco from their care. The odds are stacked against them and there are lots of dramatic fireworks and emotional outbursts during the courtroom scenes
Fine has cast his film with care Cumming is superb and perfectly cast as the flamboyant volatile and outspoken Rudy who wears his heart on his sleeve. Dillahunt who normally plays tough guys and villains is cast against type here and his performance as the level headed and articulate lawyer who finds himself up against institutionalised homophobia and blatant prejudice combines compassion sympathy and a steely determination. And Leyva is a real find bringing vulnerability and a natural quality to his performance. Even the small roles are cast with an eye for authenticity with Frances Fisher particularly good and memorable as a hard nosed judge whose prejudices are obvious
Fine has a good idea for period details as well and the film has the look and feel of many of those gritty dramas from the 70s thanks to Rachel Morrisons evocative cinematography. And the songs that Rudy chooses for his cabaret act are very revealing and enhance the films themes of tolerance love and family. The film explores issues of homophobia and what it takes to be a good parent in intelligent and sympathetic fashion which makes its downbeat ending all the more moving and hard hitting
Like Kramer Vs Kramer which ironically enough was one of the big emotional blockbusters of 1979. Any Day Now is an unashamed tear jerker and a crowd pleasing film that unfortunately is not playing to the broader audience it deserves
★★★★
