DVD Review - The Architect

The main reason I wanted to see this film is because I like the work of Anthony LaPaglia. As exoected he does deliver a fine performance. And so does his co-star Viola Davis.

Davis plays Tonya Neeley, a woman who lives in a housing project in Chicago. The project is overrun by gangs and violence. Tonya's teenage son killed himself because he couldn't take living there. LaPaglia's character Leo Waters is the architect who designed the project. Tonya is trying to get the project torn down and she wants Leo to sign her petition but he refuses to do so.

After we see the seedy housing that Tonya has to live in we are shown Leo's beautiful house. But all is not well in that lovely abode. Leo's wife Julia (Isabella Rossellini) is very unhappy and seems to be a bit unstable. Their son Martin (Sebastian Stan) has just come home after leaving college. He is confused about what to do next as well as about his sexuality. And their young daughter Christina (Hayden Panettiere) is so lonely that she tries to hook up with an older truck driver just to have someone to be with.

Director Matt Tauber adapted the film from a play written by David Greig that was originally performed in the UK. Greig and Tauber co-wrote the screenplay together and there were major changes made in the storyline.

While I certainly don't think this film is as bad as some of the critics said it was I do think that there are some elements that didn't work. It just seems odd that every single character in the story (including some that I haven't mentioned) has some type of issue. And we don't feel that we really know the characters - I attribute that to lack of character development. But I still recommend the film on DVD because of the fine performances and because the film shows us that we all suffer from some kind of pain no matter what side of the tracks we come from.