THE BURNING PLAIN
US, 2008, 110 minutes, Colour.
Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, J.D. Pardo, Jennifer Lawrence, John Corbett, Robin Tunney, Rachel Ticotin, Brett Cullen, Danny Pino, Joachim de Almeida.
Directed by Guillermo Arriaga.
A strong adult drama with fine performances and plenty to reflect on.
Writer-director, Guillermo Arriaga, a former novelist, made an impact in 2000 with his screenplay for Gonzalez Inarritu's Amores Perros. He continued a fruitful relationship by writing the screenplays for 21 Grams as well as Babel and the screenplay for the Three Burials of Melchiades Estrada for Tommy Lee Jones.
One of this keynote structures is to shift times without notifiying the audience who then have to do the work themselves. This happens here as well.
The opening motif is fire - but Arriaga is intent on featuring the other elements, earth, water and air. A trailer in the middle of the Mexican desert explodes and burns. Later, we are shown the facts about the fire and then the deeper meaning and responsibility.
Water soon follows as we see Sylvia (Charlize Theron at her best) on the Oregon cliffs, promiscuous in her relationships but a poised manager of a fashionable restaurant. A mysterious stranger stalks her. This is enough to rouse audience interest and curiosity.
However, we move back to the Mexican- American border and the story of the two people killed in the trailer. This introduces us to two families, the poorer Mexicans and the middle-class Americans both of whom suffer with the loss of a parent in an illicit relationship. Flashbacks to the relationship occur throughout the film - and Kim Basinger is especially persuasive, vulnerable and wilful as the mother. What develops is a relationship between her daughter and the son of the dead man, trying to understand what has happened. Jennifer Lawrence as the teenage Marianna is particularly effective.
As the time shifts we meet a crop-duster, his partner and his young daughter who helps with the work. A crisis precipitates the means for all the strands to come together in ways that we might not have immediately anticipated. There are strong emotional conflicts which the audience shares in - with a final satisfying, understated ending that seems just right.
The characters are trapped in their worlds which are not always of their own makings but truth and forgiveness are the pervading values that the audience is left with.
1.A human and humane drama? American- Mexican relationships?
2.The work of the writer-director, his work as drama, characterisation, issues? The importance of unannounced time shifts?
3.The Oregon coast and the cliffs? The town? Restaurants, motels, streets?
4.The contrast with the American- Mexican border, the towns, homes, the desert, the trailers? The musical score?
5.The title, the opening, the trailer and the explosion, burning in the middle of the desert? Its reprise at the end of the film, and the audience knowing it was Mariana’s fault?
6.The introduction to Sylvia, with John, waking up, the sexual encounter, her standing naked at the window, indication of character? Her night with her client at the restaurant? The offer to Carlos? The later information about her mother and interpreting her behaviour because of her attitude towards her mother? Her friend on the staff, working together, her poise and accomplishment? John, working in the kitchen, his discussions with her, her asking him to leave his wife? The cook and the plans for meals, unannounced senators …? The advice on wine for customers? Her success? Yet standing on the cliff, gazing at the waves crashing? Possibilities of suicide?
7.Audience interest in Sylvia’s story, the puzzle, Carlos watching outside her house, following her, the interaction with John in the rain, Carlos giving her a lift? Her advances on him? The revelation that she was Mariana? Her story, family, mother, behaviour, Santiago, the baby?
8.Gina’s story, the family, burning, the funeral, the blame on the Martinez family? Santiago and his brother and his friend? Their love for their father? Their mother drinking, refusing to go to the funeral?
9.The flashbacks, Gina with her family, her age, her husband, the children? Meeting with Nicky, the lies, the phone calls, her being late with the family, Mariana overhearing? Watching her mother, following her, seeing her with Nicky in the trailer? The family situations, her trying to rectify the situation with the picnic? The information about her cancer, her breast removal? Her husband and his impotence, Nicky and his reverence for her wound? The final decision to meet him, Mariana following, watching, tampering with the gas, desperate with the explosion?
10.Santiago, his love for his father, the effect of his death, the confrontation by Mariana’s father? Going to meet Mariana, asking her to go to the desert, the catapult and the birds, cooking the bird, burning and the mutual scar? Their talk, going into the house, sleeping in the room, his promise not to touch? At home, Mariana’s visit, her mother’s reaction? The stone in the window of the family, the information about Mariana’s behaviour? Her father’s anger? Leaving, her father driving past Santiago? In the desert, pregnant, the birth of the baby, her leaving it after two days?
11.Santiago and Carlo, their work, crop-dusters, Maria aged twelve, on the plane, her skills with the navigation? The work, Maria going home, cooking, seeing her father crash, rushing to the site, hospital, his not speaking to her, sending her with Carlos to her mother, his being in a coma, the operation, the possibilities of success, Mariana talking to him while unconscious, her confession? Maria finally inviting her to go into the room?
12.Carlos and Mariana, her not being able to face her daughter, change of heart, her friend and the search of the motels, talking with Maria, explaining, asking her forgiveness? The reasons for her leaving, the insertion of flashbacks and her memories? Her looking at the photos in Maria’s room?
13.Peace, reconciliation, forgiveness? Past mistakes? The significance of Maria inviting her mother into the hospital room?
