Diminished Capacity

Review By: Dan Deevy
DanDeevy@TheCinemaSource.com

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for our friend Matthew Broderick. The Producers alum and husband to the gorgeous Sarah Jessica Parker had an Election-esq film hit theaters last week called Finding Amanda opposite a sans hairspray Brittany Snow and this week another small film is being released with Broderick in the lead role, this time working with one of the most charismatic actors around Mr. Alan Alda in the dark comedy Diminished Capacity.

It’s definitely a pleasure to see Broderick popping up more frequently these days especially in these smaller, more daring indie style films. In Diminished Capacity he plays a newspaper editor who is struggling with the debilitating effects of post concussion syndrome. Basically he got whacked in the head and now he has a hard time remembering things. At the same time that he’s facing this, he gets a call that his Uncle Rollie needs him to come home to help care for him as he is in the initial stages of Alzheimer’s. A great line in the film is Broderick describing the pair as ‘Slow and Slower.’

His wacky uncle, who believes that the fish in his pond are writing poetry, also claims to have an extremely rare baseball card that to a Chicago Cubs fan could actually be priceless. With the help of his childhood crush, turned newly divorced former wife of the mayor, Charlotte played by Virginia Madsen and her young son the foursome set out on a trip from their small rural town up to the big city of Chicago to see if this thing can really be sold.

This is a very sweet and at times very funny film with fantastic performances across the board. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought to pair Broderick with Alda but it works wonderfully. Alan Alda has not lost a step since his beginnings on televisions MASH as the always charming jokester Dr. Hawkeye Pierce. Now a bit older and a little wiser he still comes across as a guy you’d always trust to lead you in the right direction and to have a great story to tell you on the way. Working with him had to be a blast for Broderick who definitely held his own against this acting giant. The on screen chemistry between the two is palpable and really brings this otherwise quiet story to life.

It’s not a big budget action film or a crazy Pratt fall comedy by any means. The humor is very subtle and smart in its delivery - nothing is over stated but is always clever. Another bright point to the film is a surprise appearance towards the end of the film by Bobby Cannavale as the asshole baseball card dealer who tries to steal the precious card out from underneath this somewhat challenged bunch of people. Normally I love to love Bobby in just about anything he does; this time around though I loved to hate him! ...