The Mend is a 2014 film directed by John Magary, starring Josh Lucas and Stephen Plunkett. The poster for the movie, featuring Josh Lucas smoking a cigarette, labels itself a “stressed out comedy.” Indeed, from the very beginning in which we see various cut scenes of Lucas’ character, Mat, stumbling around New York in what seems to be an alcoholic or drug crazed stupor, the viewer is left to assume that something is inevitably going to go very wrong. But—without providing any spoilers—I personally found that the movie did an excellent job of just barely hanging above its very thin line of absolute chaos and foible, with the end effect of a very compelling movie.
The “action” begins at a New York apartment party hosted by the main character Alan (Mat’s brother) and his fiancé Farrah. For a party scene that lasts well over fifteen minutes, there was rarely a moment in the groups whirling interactions that seemed over acted or forced (almost every party scene I’ve ever watched in a movie has at least one or two Hawthorne effect moments). The audio of the party (and the whole movie) seems to occasionally intentionally cut out when dialog becomes superfluous, but I was unable to find any other reviewers commentary on this—so am not sure if I was losing my mind or not.
After Alan and Farah take off for their half honeymoon, Mat ends up camping out at their apartment and various mishaps ensue, with a matching anxiety prone soundtrack to go along with his escapades. A favorite tiny scene of mine was when Mat leaves the apartment and asks a stranger for a menthol cigarette who then responds, “What, do I look like I would have a menthol cigarette?” There are numerous more unplanned mini episodes like that one that don’t really seem connected to anything in the plot but still somehow manage to fit into the movie as a whole and add to its authenticity.
Not really a spoiler: The only plot-line that felt somewhat dangled and unresolved to me was the matter of Mat’s flings’ son who ends up getting caught between feuding parents. The viewer gets to see the pain inflicted upon the little guy, but we never get to find out if he’s ever alright.
Available on Netflix