Robin Williams has more often than not had Drama mixed with Comedy in his films. While this film can be called a dark comedy, it is more drama than anything else. The subject is teen suicide.
Williams plays Lance, a frustrated writer who can't sell his work but makes his living as an English Teacher. He has a teenage son who despises him. I am not really clear who his mother is as she is not around & Lance is a single out-of-touch father. Kyle, the son, is a totally frustrated teenager with only 1 friend. Lance wants to be his friend but can't reach him.
Lance comes home after a date with another teacher & finds his son dead. The writer in Lance takes advantage of the opportunity to write a suicide note & then places him hanging in a closet. From here, everyone at the school except Kyles one true friend is fooled into think Kyle was something he wasn't, what his dad writes about him.
First the note is published for everyone too see, then Lance writes a journal purported to be Kyles which is published. Everybody feels sorry for Lance & he plays that like a pro. Predictably, & finally Lance conscience makes him feel so guilty, that he confesses to the whole school who Kyle really was.
This is really drama and a couple of things don't make any sense. Like Lance throwing over a beautiful young woman teacher for an old widow. The freeing of Lance from his bonds after the confession is how the movies ends. The moral here is not too live a lie, & a cruel lie especially.
The film has some decent music in the soundtrack including a song & appearance by Bruce Hornsby. The plot is very adult, & the themes are mixed here, but there really is no comedy here. The performances are good, but the script could use a little revision as the ending is way too predictable.
Williams plays Lance, a frustrated writer who can't sell his work but makes his living as an English Teacher. He has a teenage son who despises him. I am not really clear who his mother is as she is not around & Lance is a single out-of-touch father. Kyle, the son, is a totally frustrated teenager with only 1 friend. Lance wants to be his friend but can't reach him.
Lance comes home after a date with another teacher & finds his son dead. The writer in Lance takes advantage of the opportunity to write a suicide note & then places him hanging in a closet. From here, everyone at the school except Kyles one true friend is fooled into think Kyle was something he wasn't, what his dad writes about him.
First the note is published for everyone too see, then Lance writes a journal purported to be Kyles which is published. Everybody feels sorry for Lance & he plays that like a pro. Predictably, & finally Lance conscience makes him feel so guilty, that he confesses to the whole school who Kyle really was.
This is really drama and a couple of things don't make any sense. Like Lance throwing over a beautiful young woman teacher for an old widow. The freeing of Lance from his bonds after the confession is how the movies ends. The moral here is not too live a lie, & a cruel lie especially.
The film has some decent music in the soundtrack including a song & appearance by Bruce Hornsby. The plot is very adult, & the themes are mixed here, but there really is no comedy here. The performances are good, but the script could use a little revision as the ending is way too predictable.