James White

When someone close to you is dying, it's not easy to watch. That's exactly what the hero struggles with, living his whole life with his mother, slacking off even though he could do more. But he is simply unable to find the right path. Well acted, with quite a strong sense of depression, but somehow you have the feeling all along that this is what life can bring. (2017.04.17)

At first, it looks like it's going to be one big mess. Gradually, however, the serious illness of the central character's mother begins to surface and the story takes on a completely different dimension. From a rather unsympathetic rogue, he gradually transforms into a broken man, whose behavior reflects how immensely he loves his mother. James White is an extraordinarily powerful film that reminded me in many ways of the conditions I experienced while caring for my father as he was dying of cancer. The regret and helplessness, knowing the inevitable end, cannot be expressed in words. The film was able to convey all this to me not only thanks to the immersive cinematography of Mátyás Erdély, but also thanks to the fabulous performance of Christopher Abbott in the lead role. However, Cynthia Nixon also has a great deal to do with the believability I saw, as she really moved me with her portrayal of a woman in pain. (80%) (2020.08.29)

James White is up to more than the classic cancer plot, though he handles even that with bravado, opening the frame for the other man in the second half, through which he demonstrates his coming-of-age transformation. It was a brilliant move to cast the cinematographer from Son of Saul, who formally handles a similar psychology in the protagonist, that of shutting himself off from a world that is too hostile, incomprehensible, and contemptible for him. Which I guess is rather depressing, with one of the films set in Auschwitz and the other in New York's contemporary Upper East Side. The opening scene is key, in which a frazzled James wanders around a club trying to cover up aggressive rap with headphones with Ray Charles singing to him, but however much he finds peace in this for a while, the rap begins to return with greater intensity and take over again. Just like James White, living in the world, seeking peace within himself, constantly under attack from the influences of the outside world. This realistic version of a Henry Chinaski for the 21st century, without the sympathetic bon vivantism, constantly accompanied by fatigue, coughing and aggressive apathy, deserves more attention. (2016.08.06)

It is clear to me what the creators wanted to build the whole story on. James White was supposed to disgust us with his behavior initially, so that we would feel sorry for him in the end. And he got away with it. The story is about him, but the main point of the story is his sick mom. Furthermore, there are very solid acting performances but also a series of nonsensical acts from James who copes with his mother’s illness in his own way. An interesting movie that proves mainly that Christopher Abbott is a very skillful actor and we can probably expect a lot from him. (2016.12.31)