The Extra Man

On a lazy Saturday evening as I was relaxing comfortably trying to turn a calm contemplation into a more lively stance, I chanced upon an old Henry IV book of mine stuck in a stock full of piles underneath my laptop stand. Just then at that moment, I thought about the author Henry James. I don't even know why but it may have been the name Henry that prompted me to recall the film The Extra Man where Henry James was mentioned.

So first off, this isn't a film review. I don't think I can ever convince anyone to consider this one as such since all I will be writing about is how much I loved watching it.

The Extra Man stars Paul Dano as young writer Louis Ives who meets "extra man" Henry Harrison played so humorously by Kevin Kline. These two actors have worked previously in the film The Emperor's Club which I also enjoyed a lot. It's just a pleasure to see them on screen again with Kline and Dano (though looking a lot more mature now) still having that teacher-protege vibe in them.

But going back to the film, what is an extra man in the first place? As the film suggests, women being able to outlive men need an extra man to escort them to gatherings or any event and fill an empty seat in a predominantly women filled table. 

This isn't the only thing going on in this film though. More than Henry's work as a "gentleman", the film revolves around Louis' uncertainty of being. We see a young man lost in his own dreamy world, unable to express himself to anyone. Apparently, Henry, for all his quirkiness and snobbish idealism manages to attract Louis and somehow help him come to terms with reality although at certain times, Henry himself gets lost in his own dreams. And this is what drives the movie forward. 

I have not seen any two protagonists as polarizing as these characters in recent years or I may not have been watching too many films. On the one hand, we see Henry who is loud, proud and assertive. On the other, we see Louis who is shy, flimsy and wobbly. But both being a writer though each one having an issue in the past or in the present waiting to be resolved, their conversations get to be the strongest points of the film and it certainly moves the film from merely evoking wit and humor into tackling more sensible subjects like friendship, loyalty and forgiveness. Slowly we understand where the both of them are coming from. And I guess as the story progresses, their friendship becomes not only plausible but necessary. 

Kevin Kline is just outright incredible in this movie. I don't think he's ever acted badly. His comic timing is genius and he is so convincing playing the part of a proud gentleman. Paul Dano plays a complex Louis carefully acting out all the intricacies of the character. I think more than Kline's role, Dano's Louis required a more delicate treatment yet somehow Dano manages to make it work by bringing out that natural awkwardness in him and ultimately making Louis believable and sympathetic. And yes, John C. Reilly is also in this film to add some form of entertainment. At certain moments in the film, he actually stole the spotlight. Got to love that voice!

So obviously, I'm in love with this film. I guess I lost count how many times I've seen it. If you're not into talky films then you may not enjoy The Extra Man. Watching it though gives me the feeling of living in an era of a forgotten past. The film appeals to me the same way The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye did. Studying literature in college, I was able to read a lot of American novels and I'd like to believe that this film is an homage to American literature of the earlier days. It's an experiment and it certainly worked. It may not have the most intriguing plot but it sure makes sense of the idea that each one of us has our own eccentricities yet we come to terms with them and continue living our lives the way it should be lived.