Losing Chase (1996)

Fresh and Exciting

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

A surprisingly well directed and acted drama about dealing with losing the grip of reality, and how this affects not only the family, but also the community.Kyra Sedgwick is hired as a housemaid by a family of four, with two young boys, where the mother has had a nervous breakdown. The arrival of the newcomer slowly changes the situation as the two women with similar background find each other in both similarities and in friendship.Not only Kyra Sedgwick does great here, but Beau Brisges and as always Helen Mirren does a great job under the direction of Kevin Bacon. The drama is excitingly made, with enough of drama and situations to make the film interesting all way through.

While the first half feels predictable and very TV movie, the performances are good enough (especially Helen Mirren) to keep it going. And in the second half, this tale of a collage student mother's helper hired to help a woman in an angry depression after suffering a nervous breakdown gets more complex and unpredictable. The relationship between the two women, and they way their damaged souls play off each other is quite moving and grown up. Strong subtle direction by Kevin Bacon.Does take a hit for over the top performances from the kids, and other key small roles, all playing types, not human beings.

It's a shame the script and theme didn't quite do her justice. Kyra Sedgewick also gives her all and Kevin Bacon's directorial debut is great - he captures the atmosphere amazingly well and I was surprised to find on the credits that Lake Ontario and its shore stood in for Martha's Vineyard and the Atlantic.I thought it a shame that a sexual component was introduced to the slow awakening of Chase (Helen) from her "nervous breakdown" - a condition brought on by her disillusion at living a life of pretense with her husband, a man who loves her and is ashamed and baffled by her slide into depression. This awakening is brought on by Elizabeth (Kyra), the mother's helper employed for the summer. A deep friendship develops between Chase and Elizabeth. Some of the scenes are overblown - the sports car, the borrowed yacht, but some are also magical, the kites, the garden. Very very slender movie and quite touching at the end. 6 out of 10.

Chase Phillips (Helen Mirren) is having a nervous breakdown and her businessman-away-from-home husband hires Elizabeth (Kyra Sedgwick) to take care of the household and their 2 sons. But Elizabeth has her own demons to face, her family has a history of mantal illness, which arises with Chase's self destructive behaviour.The movie is about the relationship between these 2 women and is mostly predictable and even banal, but the acting is very good. Helen Mirren is superb as usual, and Kyra Sedgwick is doing quite a good job herself. Not bad for Kevin Bacon's debut film as a director.