"Sleepwalking" provides a much needed awakening
Strong character development makes this drama about a man raising his niece emotionally relevant.
Christopher Byars
Issue date: 3/11/08 Section: Lifestyle
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The film begins with a single mother who just cannot keep herself out of trouble.
Joleen Reedy (Charlize Theron) is in dire need of a place to stay after her boyfriend is arrested.
Burdened by her 11-year-old daughter Tara (AnnaSophia Robb), Joleen turns to her younger brother James, played exceptionally well by Nick Stahl, for help.
Joleen is a restless woman, and finds no hope in her present situation, ultimately deciding to leave Tara with James and head back onto the road without mentioning her plan to either of them.
James, forced into this new predicament, for which he is hardly prepared, convinces himself that Joleen will come back, and that it will be just a matter of time until things are right again.
He continues on by placing all of his efforts into caring for his young niece, but as ill-prepared as he is, both mentally and physically, it does not take long for the odds to build against him.
He eventually loses his job and his apartment, and Tara is placed under the care of social services.
Knowing he should take the responsibility of looking after his niece while his sister is gone, James decides to remove Tara from social services and attempts to make a happy life, not only for her, but for himself as well - something they both desperately need.
The idea of family, however, is not an easy concept for any of the characters to grasp, especially for James and Joleen, who grew up on a rural ranch with a verbally and physically abusive father Mr. Reedy (played by Dennis Hopper.)
After leaving the ranch many years earlier, both siblings are still drastically affected by their father's sadistic tendencies: Joleen with her recklessness, and James with his apprehensiveness.
In the present, with little money and no other real options, James is forced to take Tara back to the ranch where he grew up, seeking refuge with the one man who earlier denied James the much-needed affection from a family.
The new situation forces James to examine exactly who he is, and ultimately causes him to decide what kind of person he wants to become.
"Sleepwalking," directed by William Maher and written by Zac Stanford, has only one weak element: the character of Joleen. Theron, who not only acted in the film but was also a producer, poorly portrayed Joleen.
Joleen's character, which is not sufficiently developed, is further weakened by her unresolved motives and insecurities in the story. However, her character is only on screen a third of the time.
Consequently, this picture belongs to Stahl, in his impeccable performance as James.
His character, a wounded individual, eagerly hopes to reach an understanding that will give him the direction he never had, but finds consolation in Tara instead, and the bond that develops between them is what gives this film depth.
Assisting as the protagonist is the very watchable Woody Harrelson; he provides a cheerful smile in the otherwise grim surroundings in which this family finds itself consumed.
Overall, the film has a simple plot. Its magnitude, however, is made explicitly clear by its emphasis on character development - most notably by Stahl and Robb.
It is through these means that "Sleepwalking" is able to achieve an emotional maturity and a prudent view into human emotions.
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