SXSW Film Reviews

Who Loves the Sun

D: Matt Bissonnette; with Lukas Haas, Molly Parker, Adam Scott, R.H. Thomson, Wendy Crewson

Inspired by Paul Auster's Leviathan, in which a man disappears indefinitely after walking in on a friend getting frisky with his wife, Bissonnette's (Looking for Leonard) second film explores what happens when that guy comes back. Set in a summer lake home full of well-to-do white people who act like they hate one another but still say please and thank you, the story of what happens when people harbor secrets unfolds quietly with the help of sarcasm, schoolyard brawls, and scotch. Each of the five performances is spot-on, but Haas is particularly endearing as the slightly off-kilter best friend come to settle a score, and Scott plays the spoiled, insecure bastard with disconcerting aplomb. With intelligent, realistic dialogue and fleshed-out characters, Bissonnette aptly captures a world where terse dinner conversation and early morning fishing trips replace true affection, while reminding us that families often pass down more consequential traits than just eye color. – Diana Welch