Freeheld

I’ve reviewed a number of films this year, predominantly those of an Evangelical Christian bent, that I have painted with the brush of exploitation cinema. What I mean in the use of this term is that these films seek to drive box-office receipts by catering to a predetermined audience who will likely be amenable to the story or subject matter presented in the given film. By extracting money from moviegoers through reaffirming their pre-existent worldview, these films inherently exploit their intended audience’s biases simply for financial gain. Based on Cynthia Wade’s 2007 documentary short of the same title, Freeheld feels at times like just such a cynical ploy to cash in on the heroic struggles of its central characters.

If Freeheld falls short of greatness, its shortcomings can not be blamed on the cast, who exceed all expectations given the shoddiness of the script. Julianne Moore performs admirably as Detective Laurel Hester, carrying later makeup-laden scenes with a dignity that outshines her poorly executed bald cap. Steve Carell makes economic use of his limited screen time by injecting a dose of humor into the otherwise maudlin proceedings while simultaneously forwarding the plot. But Ellen Page and Michael Shannon are the real highlights here, imbuing their roles as Hester’s romantic and professional partners, respectively, with a sense of passion and urgency that belies a deep, personal commitment to telling this story with the respect it justifiably deserves.

The script, however, undermines the cast’s best intentions. Largely lacking in dramatic conflict for the first hour, screenwriter Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia) opts for concision once it is no longer necessary, resulting in a plodding first two acts followed by an unduly truncated third. Even were the pacing more balanced, Nyswaner’s script would still be plagued by shallow characterization and plot developments so heavily telegraphed that they might as well be in Morse code. The problem with this level of predictability is that it robs the audience of any substantial catharsis, with all the major plot points being so loudly announced that they amount to foregone conclusions by the time they finally arrive.

I saw Freeheld at a sparsely attended late-night screening, and my fellow moviegoers were probably more motivated to be there than I was. The story beats that fell flat for me seemed to resonate more with the rest of the audience, so your mileage may vary. As a straight male, I am likely not the target demographic for Freeheld. Which is a problem, because I am precisely representative of a demographic that should be more aware of the courage embodied by people such as Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. An otherwise competently made and respectful piece of filmmaking, Freeheld goes too far in pandering to an audience predisposed to agree with its message. If an accepted purpose of art is to challenge, rather than reinforce, the boundaries of one’s worldview, then this film fails in its artistic aspirations. After the credits rolled, all I could think about was how much fun it would be to schedule a double-bill with this film and one of the more-popular recent Evangelical Christian releases, switch the prints, lock the doors and see which theater riots first. Perhaps filming the ensuing chaos could be the genesis of a more entertaining sub-genre of exploitation cinema. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, language and sexuality.