I just finished watching The Scenic Route (1978)- the first time I'd seen it since 2010. I checked IMDB and was ashamed to see there was just one review for this film. I'd always recalled the film with fondness, although I could never remember why I loved it in my first watch. Several years after seeing the movie I came across the First Choice's 'Doctor love' song and the deadpan dance scene from this film was playing in my mind.
Let's start with my favourite aspects about this movie: The 3 actors all did a fine job, and it is an interesting story Mark Rappaport tells us here. Some of his films struggle in terms of credible character development, but here he certainly delivers in that area. It is a melodramatic movie, but it's never depressing. I would almost call it a bittersweet feel-good film. Also, I think Rappaport succeeded in giving us a very aesthetic, sometimes wondrous, and strangely philosophical take on human emotions. While the great heart of this film lies in its characterization, it's catapulted into greatness because of Rappaport's quiet touch. In nearly every one of his films the director is obsessed with the awkward silences that make up nearly every relationship. He's much more revealing with the silences here, fleshing out character development supported by fine acting.
There isn't much of a plot for sure, but Rappaport more than compensates for this fact by creating three distinct characters that manage to be real without resorting to cheap sentiment. I'm happy that he gets the careful balance between static ugliness and a subtext of natural warmth just right. He was never much of a guy to dip in the mainstream and his best film might be this one, a miniature masterpiece that is underrated when compared to other Indie films.
The film, essentially a love triangle, is also thankfully kept brief, becoming genuinely meaningful and moving as a result. One of the finest Indie films paired with really good dialogue and performances. I highly recommend it to the fans of Wim van der Linden, Angela Schanelec, Guy Gilles, James Fotopoulos, Jon Jost, Eric Rohmer, Jean-Charles Fitoussi, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Yvonne Rainer, Aki Kaurismäki and Jim Jarmusch.
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