Palmer

Starring: Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple, Alisha Wainwright, Ryder Allen, June Squibb, Lance E. Nichols, JD Evermore, Dean Winters, Jesse C. Boyd
Directed by: Fisher Stevens
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
2021

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An ex-convict (Justin Timberlake) reluctantly begins looking after a bullied boy (Ryder Allen) who lives next door.

Review:

Tim: Fisher Stevens' Palmer is a film that has some frayed edges and more than a few flaws. However, the story, the heartfelt performances, and the movie's message are so overpoweringly positive that you're able to mostly overlook the less effective aspects of the film. This is a movie that might not quite be as good as I think it is, but I so thoroughly enjoyed the experience that it doesn't matter. I'd consider this an especially good movie. I have to admit, it was better than I expected it to be.

The story itself treads no new ground. We see a hardened adult reluctantly forced to care for a unique kid. There are many of these kinds of films. That never matters while we watch Palmer. Here, we see a young boy who likes princesses and dresses- a brave child who has such a strong desire to be himself, even in the face of a strongly religious, conservative southern culture. He and the world he lives in don't match up, mostly because of the bigoted and prejudiced people who inhabit it. It's the story told here, but it reflects many individuals' stories, all around the world. I honestly do not understand how so much hate and violence is thrust upon people who don't fit narrow, absurd standards and expectations. Your heart goes out to the character of Sam, and all the people whom Sam represents in the real world. I loved this story of an ex-con who at first feels nothing but disdain for this different boy, but who through a series of events, befriends and eventually cares for (and loves) the boy. It's a beautiful story and we desperately need more of these stories. We need films like this to hold up a mirror to our broken society and remind us what goodness looks like. It's not lost upon me that many of the worst people in this film go to church regularly on Sunday. They might be religious on the surface, but not in their hearts.

This felt like a big role for Justin Timberlake and I honestly wasn't sure if he was up for it. I was a tad surprised how incredible he came across in this film. Now, we have to be honest here- Stevens wisely limits the number of times Timberlake really needs to flex his acting muscles. For most of the movie, the character is reserved, limited in what he says. It's obvious Stevens was limiting Timberlake's performance. You often see this done with people who aren't incredibly talented. It was a wise decision, because I almost forgot this positioning early on. Timberlake seemed really effective in the role, even though he wasn't asked to do very much. Now, as the film goes on, he's thrust into the spotlight and his acting did need to rise to the occasion... and it does. I'm not a Timberlake-as-an-actor hater, but I wasn't sure he could deliver the performance he needed to. He absolutely does and while it was a restrained and limited performance, he has several truly incredible scenes. His performance here as a whole works and it makes the movie better. Ryder Allen also deserves great credit. He delivers a heartfelt, unforgettable performance. It was so inspiring to see such a young actor play such a challenging role. He was terrific. I loved the interactions between Timberlake and Allen. And, while I give Allen so much credit, you have to wonder what Stevens did to coax such a special performance out of this kid.

I really enjoyed seeing Juno Temple here, in a role very different from Ted Lasso. I loved Temple on that show, but I'm generally feeling mixed things about her. She was effective here, though, delivering a strong performance. Alisha Wainwright was incredible. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen her in anything before. Her performance felt confident, she was completely in command of it at all times. She takes a supporting role and elevates it. I walked away from this movie so impressed with her and I thoroughly expect to see her many, many times in the future. It was nice seeing June Squibb here- it always is. The rest of the supporting cast was stronger than average- Stevens gets quite effective performances from everyone.

Now, as much as I liked this film, it does have limitations. The story felt forced at times. You needed to suspend some disbelief to get through it. It telegraphs some of its turns well in advance. The whole thing has been done before- the story itself is nothing new. While watching it, you feel like although Stevens did great things with the cast, the editing and the overall execution of the film were a bit weaker. Without the story and the great cast, you could see how the movie might feel like it didn't live up to expectations. I'd be so interested to see Fisher Stevens continue to direct- he has talent, although I don't think he is a great director at this point.

That being said, I walked away from Palmer impressed. It might not deliver the emotional punch it could have, but it was an entertaining, worthwhile movie that has a beautiful, power message that more people need to see. The reach of the movie was likely limited by its exclusiveness on Apple+, which is too bad. The movie isn't good enough to make it to the end-of-year awards, but it was still a crowd-pleasing, entertaining film. I truly enjoyed watching it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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