I was relieved to find that Peter Bogdanovich's 1985 film "Mask" was in no way the ultra-depressing somber fest I envisioned it to be. Paying only vague attention to the movie when it began to air oh-so-creatively on FX one day, I quickly grew absorbed in the life of Rocky Dennis, the extremely deformed (his skull is large and mishapen due to "lionitis") teenage main character (wonderfully portrayed by Eric Stoltz) -- a very likable and easygoing guy who hardly let the rudeness that came his way affect him. Hence, most characters in the movie liked Rocky. Nobody made a freak show out of him, which was relieving and a definite plus!
I even tolerated Cher in the first half hour or so (she plays Rocky's tough, drug-struggling mother Rusty) and her motorcycle-gang pals. The biker character Bulldozer, who "doesn't like to talk", was very appealing. Sam Elliott was also quite good as a love interest of Rusty and father figure to Rocky. I enjoyed seeing Rocky interact with this special group of friends, and I grew excited with him when he planned his trip through Europe with another teenage boy. Cher's Rusty just had a strange appeal in the first part of the film; the way she didn't take any "b.s." from the principal of Rocky's school (who tried to condescendingly suggest he go to special school) was admirable and root-for worthy.
However, in the middle of the movie, when Rocky started to develop an interest in girls -- and more specifically when Rusty turned to drinking and drugs -- "Mask" took a turn for the worse. I regret to say that the Rusty character became very boring very fast, and that far too much time was spent on her. That first time I watched it, I couldn't even make it to the end of the film. It literally put me to sleep! BUT ... one day, when I noticed that "Mask" was once again playing on FX, I decided to give it another chance. I tuned in just as Rocky was going off to a camp for blind kids, and, thankfully, discovered that "Mask" lifted itself out of dullness as soon as its main character was the focus again and not his mother. I don't usually think Laura Dern is some genius actress like many seem to, however the romance portrayed between her character Diana and Stoltz' Rocky is very sweet. I especially liked the scene when Rocky taught Diana colors and textures in a camp kitchen, using a hot potato for "red" and some cotton for "billowy." Diana's parents turn out to be the ones who treat Rocky the worst in "Mask", but their discomfort IS admittedly realistic.
If you get bored by the middle, hang in there. All in all, "Mask" is a film worth watching! I haven't seen it in awhile, but I look forward to seeing it again... particularly after becoming acquainted with Jens Lekman's song 'Rocky Dennis's Farewell Song to the Blind Girl', which is an absolutely beautiful love song and a perfect companion to this film.
I even tolerated Cher in the first half hour or so (she plays Rocky's tough, drug-struggling mother Rusty) and her motorcycle-gang pals. The biker character Bulldozer, who "doesn't like to talk", was very appealing. Sam Elliott was also quite good as a love interest of Rusty and father figure to Rocky. I enjoyed seeing Rocky interact with this special group of friends, and I grew excited with him when he planned his trip through Europe with another teenage boy. Cher's Rusty just had a strange appeal in the first part of the film; the way she didn't take any "b.s." from the principal of Rocky's school (who tried to condescendingly suggest he go to special school) was admirable and root-for worthy.
However, in the middle of the movie, when Rocky started to develop an interest in girls -- and more specifically when Rusty turned to drinking and drugs -- "Mask" took a turn for the worse. I regret to say that the Rusty character became very boring very fast, and that far too much time was spent on her. That first time I watched it, I couldn't even make it to the end of the film. It literally put me to sleep! BUT ... one day, when I noticed that "Mask" was once again playing on FX, I decided to give it another chance. I tuned in just as Rocky was going off to a camp for blind kids, and, thankfully, discovered that "Mask" lifted itself out of dullness as soon as its main character was the focus again and not his mother. I don't usually think Laura Dern is some genius actress like many seem to, however the romance portrayed between her character Diana and Stoltz' Rocky is very sweet. I especially liked the scene when Rocky taught Diana colors and textures in a camp kitchen, using a hot potato for "red" and some cotton for "billowy." Diana's parents turn out to be the ones who treat Rocky the worst in "Mask", but their discomfort IS admittedly realistic.
If you get bored by the middle, hang in there. All in all, "Mask" is a film worth watching! I haven't seen it in awhile, but I look forward to seeing it again... particularly after becoming acquainted with Jens Lekman's song 'Rocky Dennis's Farewell Song to the Blind Girl', which is an absolutely beautiful love song and a perfect companion to this film.