Upper middle class mid-life angst in Los Angeles is the subject du jour in Grand Canyon, with traumatic and life-changing events at the centre of things – Mack (Kevin Kline) is rescued while being menaced by a street gang, and considers how he can return the favour; Davis (Steve Martin) is seriously injured in a violent incident that gets him thinking about his role as a movie producer in promulgating a culture of violence; Claire (Mary McDonnell) is troubled by the maturing of her only child (he’s 15 years-old), so is overwhelmed by maternal yearning when she discovers an abandoned baby.
Grand Canyon explores midlife issues through a collection of intersecting storylines and a blend of fantasy – primarily in the form of dream sequences – and reality. Each of the half dozen protagonists is at a crossroads and needs to decide whether it’s possible to make a fresh start.
The storylines are all interesting and not particularly challenge to connect together. This isn’t one of those huge and complex films that requires a notebook just to keep track of who’s who and struggling with what. Things are only as complicated as they need to be to have every character simultaneously at a crossroads. And while everyone’s facing tough decisions, none of it seems as compelling as you might expect.
Writer/director Lawrence Kasdan has been involved with some hugely successful movies over the years, but he’s never been one to plumb the depths of human emotion. The Big Chill, Silverado, French Kiss and others have been high profile, successful, and – on the surface, at least – willing to deal with heavy psychological and emotional issues. But there’s consistently been a ‘Hollywood’ feel to his work; his movies have dealt with suicide, marital infidelity, violence, sex and death, yet – although they are satisfying on at least one level – they always maintain a safe distance from truly hitting home in either emotional or intellectual terms.
And that’s exactly what we get here. It’s Magnolia-Light or American Beauty for the faint of heart. The issues are real, but they way they unfold here is just too neat and tidy. Even L.A. street gangs seem neat and tidy. The fault isn’t with the performances. Except for Steve Martin – who plays his shallow character even shallower than he should have – the rest of the cast is very good. But they’re not given enough to make their characters whole. McDonnell is particularly notable for conveying Claire’s pain, even if she isn’t given the chance to fully realize it. Klein, Danny Glover and Mary-Louise Parker each were given even less chance to make their characters memorable.
Grand Canyon is not a bad movie. It’s just frustrating because it’s a squeaky-clean Hollywood version of real life. And Kasdan clearly expected that it would have a more profound impact on viewers than it does. While it raises thought-provoking issues, it certainly won’t send you away feeling that your life has been changed by the experience.
