Greetings everyone! Back to review yet another Independent film from this year’s plentiful supply of them. As previously established in my 3-part commentary on genre, I love the fact that established actors (in addition to newcomers as well) take the time from doing larger projects or other endeavors and do these smaller projects. I still say Independent film is truly the place to really see actors ACT, as THEY have to carry the story and not special effects or other tools of the big budget movies. And this remains true with the newest review I now provide you, “Grand Piano”.
Brought to us by Spanish director Eugenio Mira, who has only 3 major film releases total, including this one, that he has been behind the camera for in addition to being a composer, this story proves that it truly doesn’t always pay to be a known performer. Initially, we are treated to a brief scene involving a, surprise surprise, Grand piano being moved out of a broken down old theater by some not so pleased moving men. We have to assume something is unique about it, but it is unknown for the time being. So…to the MAIN gist of things. Coming off a 5-year hiatus from his live performances, piano prodigy and star Tom Selznick (Frodo himself, Elijah Wood) has endured an apparently traumatic flight into Chicago to play with an orchestra we ultimately find is conducted by a good friend, Reisinger (Don McManus). The comeback has also been prompted by Tom’s movie star wife, Emma (Kerry Bishe), who is also in town promoting her new film. As Tom makes his way from the airport to the concert venue, having NO time to stop and relax at ALL, he seems to try and find any excuse as to why he SHOULD be doing the performance in the first place, as his initial “retirement” from playing was due to a particularly embarrassing moment experiences those 5 years ago. Even after arriving at the venue and getting himself isolated in his dressing room, Tom’s reluctance and building stage fright plague his mind. As a sidebar, we see Emma experiencing annoyances of her own before the show in the form of a friend Ashley (Tamsin Egerton) and her beau Allen (Allen Leech) who seem a little TOO eager to hobnob in the expensive seats with Emma, even though she’s ensured beforehand this will NOT happen. Finally, concert time arrives, and Tom slowly makes his way through the labyrinth of the theater and too the fringe of the stage that leads up to his elevated stage behind the orchestra and the Grand piano we saw earlier. Just as he is to go on, a stage assistant (Alex Winter Why…Hello! Bill S. Preston, Esq., it’s been a while!) brings him the sheet music folder Tom had forgotten in his stressed out state, out of which he discards a certain piece of music….the source of his previous debacle and shame. He takes the stage, sits down, and Reisinger begins the concert.
NOW things get fun….as Tom is playing he notices a mark on the bottom corner of the page upcoming. Puzzled, he plays on. When the page turn comes and is executed….a note is scrawled on the page to his right…”Play one wrong note and you die”… in large red print. Unsure and now at the starting stages of panic, he soldiers on until a break in his part, at which point another note has advised him to leave the stage for his dressing room during the pause. Off he goes, to the confusing sounds of a clueless audience, and heads backstage where he finds a wireless earpiece for him. Activating it, we are introduces to, I’ll call him, “The Voice” (John Cusack), who immediately urges Tom to get back to stage and continue playing. Once there, “The Voice” begins explaining what is going on, finding ways to initially demonstrate his seriousness in the whole matter NOT being a prank, much to Tom’s growing anxiety, as well as making the necessary threats against Tom and his wife in order to keep the piano star playing. Over the course of time, there are decisions made, some with disastrous results, others that end up steeling Tom to the situation. Plus we also find that “The Voice” has an accomplice as well, but whom also complicates the whole set-up. We do find out some additional information about “The Voice” as the concert progresses and as Tom has made his multiple dashes from stage in efforts to thwart his would-be assassin, who’s constantly in his head via the earpiece and even having advised Tom where he is at in the venue. All of this builds and builds until the final play….”The Voice” requests Tom to play through the piece he fumbled all those years ago, being only one of two players who could play the piece, the other being Tom’s former mentor, the deceased Patrick Godureaux (Jack Taylor) whose classic, old Grand piano has been the one Tom is playing. I will NOT in any way even HINT at how this final act winds up, but suffice it to say, it is quite NUTS. And yet, the REAL final moment of the film is even more…..interesting…..and yet very apropos. Even to the extent that you might even feel this WHOLE thing was possibly the BEGINNING to what the real game was all about. GOT to love Independent film! Judge for yourself.
I found the movie a LOT more engaging than the one most people will probably compare it to, which was 2002’s, Joel Schumacher-directed, film “Phone Booth” with Colin Farrell and Keifer Sutherland. While I do love both of those actors, Wood just somehow…convinced me more in his portrayal of a man in a desperate situation like this, maybe due to the fact that his character NEVER even wanted to be up on the stage in the first place. Talk about a NEW level of stage fright! And John Cusack always excels in most of the films he’s in. Even as “The Voice” (who we DO find had a name…Clem), he just emotes the menace and resolve of an unhinged, yet coolly calm, villain all the way through. And even when we DO see him, I felt that tinge of “Gross Pointe Blank” coming to my mind. I also personally liked the fact that the movie wasn’t rife with a constant barrage of language and even the violence overall wasn’t that extreme. This was designed to be a simple, straight-forward, intense thriller that allowed us to see these two actors do what they enjoy doing for a living. Also, the actual piano work in the film is amazing in itself.
As always, this is all for YOUR consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading.
