Duane Hopwood is a simple indie movie about an alcoholic whose life is falling apart around him. It's not all that pleasant to watch because the main character isn't exactly the most sympathetic guy around. You can find some connection with him because he does seem like a loving father, but his life choices kind of undermine that aspect of his personality. I'm just not drawn to this kind of self-destructive character, and because I haven't dealt with any of those struggles personally, I find it hard to relate and get on the side of a guy like Duane Hopwood. They have small moments that shift me to rooting for him, but they are few and far between. The ending was one that could have easily gone in two different directions. I found the selected ending to be a bit safe and kind of unsatisfying, but it still worked for the film they were making.
The casting of Duane Hopwood was also problematic for me. David Schwimmer is far from a great actor, so any movie with him in the lead kind of puts me off. I will say that he isn't too bad at playing a sad-sack like this one, and the director at least managed to keep his whining to a minimum, so he didn't fall back into his annoying "Ross" habits. I think where the casting really fell flat for me was in the wacky friend role played by Judah Friedlander. This is a character who could have brought some life and humor to an otherwise bleak and boring story. But they needed someone who was actually funny, and Friedlander isn't even humorously bad, he's just a flatline of comedic non-talent. There were still a few bright spots in Duane Hopwood, but it is a film that probably won't stick with me, and not one I'll ever return to in the future.
The casting of Duane Hopwood was also problematic for me. David Schwimmer is far from a great actor, so any movie with him in the lead kind of puts me off. I will say that he isn't too bad at playing a sad-sack like this one, and the director at least managed to keep his whining to a minimum, so he didn't fall back into his annoying "Ross" habits. I think where the casting really fell flat for me was in the wacky friend role played by Judah Friedlander. This is a character who could have brought some life and humor to an otherwise bleak and boring story. But they needed someone who was actually funny, and Friedlander isn't even humorously bad, he's just a flatline of comedic non-talent. There were still a few bright spots in Duane Hopwood, but it is a film that probably won't stick with me, and not one I'll ever return to in the future.