Mask (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Based on a real-life story, Eric Stoltz stars as Rocky Dennis, a 15 yr. old with a rare cranial bone disease that has enlarged & disfigured his face & skull in 'Mask', Peter Bogdanovich's 1985 drama that is as uplifting as it is devastating and, exceedingly well acted throughout. Despite the dire prognosis of an early death, stout-hearted Rocky dreams of finding love with a girl & taking a motorcycle trip through Europe. Rocky's loving, but emotionally volatile biker gang mom Rusty (Cher) gives her son the affirmation & tenderness he needs to survive in a cruel world of his contemporaries who ridicule everyone by their appearance.
Additional to this, Rusty's pals - his mom's biker gang - provide Rocky with a great extended family that treats him with respect, dignity & warmth. As the film advances, it is wonderful to see Rocky blossom as he overcomes the societal barriers inherently thrown up around him. At high school, Rocky wins academic awards and, at home, he helps his mother discover the determination to kick her debilitating drug habit. And he & his mom's attempts to live as normal a life as possible are valiant; Rocky knows all too well that each day could be his last, so live it to the fullest.
Peter Bogdanovich directs with sensitivity & subtle power. Sure, some parts are more melodramatic than necessary, but the exceptionally effective performances from Cher, Stolz, Sam Elliott {as Rusty's lover/Rocky's mentor, Gar}, Estelle Getty, Richard Dysart & more override those melodramatics to convey genuine emotion and investment in the story. Cher, in particular, portrays the outwardly tough Rusty with real relatable vulnerability.
3 particular scenes get to me: 1) Rocky presenting his own improved version of Helen of Troy in front of his history class. 2) His experience at summer camp when he falls in love with Diana (a sweet Laura Dern), a blind girl who he helps understand colors. And 3) his sharing with his mother a poem expressing his specific vision of life. These 3 moments {amid many others} make up for some of the more sugary contrivances of the script; that's not to say that debut writer Anna Hamilton Phelan's script is bad, at all -- I love it, but it just gets a touch sentimental, at times.
The film rightfully won an Oscar for Michael Westmore & Zoltan Elek's outstanding make-up work on Rocky. To that, I think I'd have given acting nominations to both Stolz & Cher, as well; but alas. To THAT, Cher became so inspired by this film that she became National Chairperson & Honorary Spokesperson of the Children's Craniofacial Assoc. -- good on her. In the end, 'Mask' succeeds as an edifying & inspiring portrait of one disabled person's winsome spirit to overcome the loneliness, pain & prejudice to become a role model for all.
Additional to this, Rusty's pals - his mom's biker gang - provide Rocky with a great extended family that treats him with respect, dignity & warmth. As the film advances, it is wonderful to see Rocky blossom as he overcomes the societal barriers inherently thrown up around him. At high school, Rocky wins academic awards and, at home, he helps his mother discover the determination to kick her debilitating drug habit. And he & his mom's attempts to live as normal a life as possible are valiant; Rocky knows all too well that each day could be his last, so live it to the fullest.
Peter Bogdanovich directs with sensitivity & subtle power. Sure, some parts are more melodramatic than necessary, but the exceptionally effective performances from Cher, Stolz, Sam Elliott {as Rusty's lover/Rocky's mentor, Gar}, Estelle Getty, Richard Dysart & more override those melodramatics to convey genuine emotion and investment in the story. Cher, in particular, portrays the outwardly tough Rusty with real relatable vulnerability.
3 particular scenes get to me: 1) Rocky presenting his own improved version of Helen of Troy in front of his history class. 2) His experience at summer camp when he falls in love with Diana (a sweet Laura Dern), a blind girl who he helps understand colors. And 3) his sharing with his mother a poem expressing his specific vision of life. These 3 moments {amid many others} make up for some of the more sugary contrivances of the script; that's not to say that debut writer Anna Hamilton Phelan's script is bad, at all -- I love it, but it just gets a touch sentimental, at times.
The film rightfully won an Oscar for Michael Westmore & Zoltan Elek's outstanding make-up work on Rocky. To that, I think I'd have given acting nominations to both Stolz & Cher, as well; but alas. To THAT, Cher became so inspired by this film that she became National Chairperson & Honorary Spokesperson of the Children's Craniofacial Assoc. -- good on her. In the end, 'Mask' succeeds as an edifying & inspiring portrait of one disabled person's winsome spirit to overcome the loneliness, pain & prejudice to become a role model for all.