Though obviously inspired by Ordinary People, writer-director Dan Harris' treatment of a suburban family's reaction to the suicide of its older son takes a distorted, weird, and often wonderful tack that differs from the sober, serious approach of Robert Redford's Oscar-winning 1980 film. The death of a high-school swimming champion has a tragic impact on his hard-driving father (Jeff Daniels), his worldly, cynical mother (Sigourney Weaver), and his troubled younger brother (Emile Hirsch). The family's conduct is often desperate and dangerous, but at times also bitterly funny, with last-act revelations that explain why the relationships frequently seem so positively poisonous. The abrupt shifts of tone and startling plot turns (which range from fairly crude farce to positively mawkish melodrama and include pretty much everything in between) never entirely gel, and the film's patchwork quality can be infuriating. However, the inconsistencies and risk-taking succeeds more often than not, and even if Imaginary Heroes doesn't match the most compelling cinematic depictions of teen angst and suburban despair (like Donnie Darko or The Ice Storm), it is richly humorous and dramatically incisive while showcasing a roster of fine performances. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include two audio commentaries (one with costar Sigourney Weaver; the other with director Dan Harris and costar Emile Hirsch), eight deleted scenes (11 min.), a behind-the-scenes featurette (7 min.), a photo gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning film.] (F. Swietek)
Imaginary Heroes
Sony, 112 min., R, VHS: $52.99, DVD: $26.99, June 7 Volume 20, Issue 4
Imaginary Heroes
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: