The main character sits beside an ailing family member battling cancer. She delivers a casserole to another relative. Welcome to the mundane world of ‘Diane’ that takes place in a snowy enclave of Massachusetts. The film is getting a lot of a buzz for actress Mary Kay Place’s exceptional performance as a woman in her late sixties looking out for other people. She seems to get satisfaction from being a selfless, do-gooder until people close to her begin to die off. This forces her to look inward at her own life and deal with the isolation of growing old alone. It sounds like a bleak picture but writer-director Kent Jones makes it all feel sublime in a naturalistic way. ‘Diane’ is a heartfelt story that deserves to be seen by a wide audience.
For those unfamiliar with Place, she has led a stellar acting career since the 1970s playing strong character roles in films such as ‘The Big Chill’ and ‘Being John Malkovich.’ Many of the scenes in ‘Diane’ show her driving from one place to another, visiting relatives in need. The shot of her driving in a car are filmed from her point of view. If she is not visiting her terminally ill cousin in the hospital or dealing with her drug-addicted son Brian (Jake Lacy) by bringing him washed clothes or food in Tupperware, she’s volunteering her time at a soup kitchen. We eventually learn that Diane committed an indiscretion that she feels guilty over but in hindsight it is one of the few times in her life that she experienced the joy of freedom.
The story shows the portrait of a woman at the crossroads of her life. She has spent so much time worrying about others in her life that she has neglected her own needs. Her selfless acts are in a way a form of redemption. It allows Diane not to think about her own problems by always helping others in the present. Soon she realizes that there is no way to fend off time forever. The reality is that people get sick and eventually die. It is a depressing prospect that many do not want to face in their lives. As Diane’s tribe dies off, it is something that she has to accept. She has to deal with the isolation of losing those closest to her. Jones shows us a few reprieves from her toil. She stops her car at the side of a road and takes a walk into the woods. Another scene shows her at a local bar dancing and drinking by herself at a jukebox. She deserves these momentary breaks from her life.
It’s not all serious. There is a comical twist to the story when Diane visits Brian and his new born-again wife Tally (Celia Keenan-Bolger). Without giving too much away, we get the sense that Diane is no push-over. Her son eventually stops by her house and they have a heart-to-heart talk that brings some closure to the guilt she has carried for so long. We finally see Diane strip away the baggage in her life. Does she have regrets? Doesn’t everyone? Besides Place’s stellar performance, ‘Diane’ is filled with a rich cast of seasoned character actresses including Estelle Parsons, Joyce Van Patten, Glynnis O’Connor and Andrea Martin.
We all have that one relative that puts everyone else first but herself. This is a tender film that deals with the ravages of old age. It is a topic that most people try to avoid. The details of her life may seem mundane but are actually revelatory to the human condition. The main character is one that we pass by on the streets without giving a second glance. Diane refuses to be marginalized. It is a meditation on a woman’s life through every day events. ‘Diane’ is a compelling film that deserves your attention.
