I have seen so many Mike White scripts, and yet this writer can still surprise me.
Families sometimes struggle with boundaries. An alarmed mom on "Maplewood Moms" recently wrote about having discovered her own daughter with "Mommy's vibrator"--the vibrator was in a compromising position. A neighbor recalled spotting eggplant emojis on his daughter's iPhone; the private text suddenly became a semi-public event within the family. But how do you work this material into a TV seriocomedy? Here is Mike White, leading the charge. His creation--"Patrick Schwarzenegger"--is mesmerizing. When Patrick complains to his parents that his massage lacked a happy ending, it's difficult to look away. When Patrick flaunts his bare ass in front of his (aroused? homosexual?) brother, the effect is similarly hypnotic. I have no idea where the Patrick story is heading.
With remarkable subtlety, White ties Patrick's issues to Patrick's mother. Parker Posey--like Patrick--has trouble with boundaries. When an acquaintance attempts to renew contact, all that is asked of Parker Posey is a polite smile. Literally all she needs to do is say this: "I remember that baby shower! So nice to see you after all these years!" But, in refusing to act like a human being, PP makes at least five other people painfully uncomfortable. She also shares much, much more about herself than she seems to realize. Again, I just don't see other writers choosing to dramatize a moment like this. What planet is Mike White on?
The third character that grabs me is Jon Gries's character. Forced into a squirmy dinner party, Gries is asked what he does for a living. All he needs to do is invent a lie (if the truth is unapproachable). But, instead, he opts to say the following: "This and that." The bizarre, menacing answer instantly kills the conversation. Later, Gries alludes to his girlfriend and her origins "in France." In fact, she is from Quebec. Gries has not just misidentified her country of origin. He is on the wrong continent. This is very disquieting. White just allows the moment to "land"--and he moves on.
I'm signing off with my own favorite interlude from Parker Posey's career. It has nothing to do with "The White Lotus." I hope White will give her opportunities to hijack the entire show.
Comments
Post a Comment