Reviews

The operating principle here seems to be "generosity of spirit", both in theme and form. altman's wide-screen compositions are egalitarian in the way they give your eyes the freedom to roam the frame, with the ostensible "stars" sharing just as much screen space as the dozens of background extras. even when his characters are at their most petulant and pathetic, he treats them with an unreserved gentleness. unlike say, the coen brothers, altman doesn't see their foibles as cause for cynicism; he simply has too much affection for these people. the accumulated weight of all this takes on a remarkable poignancy in the climactic rally, which manages to offer up powerful emotional dividends by simply cross-cutting between reaction shots. the sequence is certainly tragic but altman, recognizing that life is rarely so monolithic in its emotional tenor, also infuses the proceedings with a sly humor that weirdly enough brought to mind the malfunctioning stretcher scene in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. it's a remarkable tonal tightrope to walk, but altman does it with aplomb (and i haven't even mentioned the sheer wealth of hilarious gags in this thing, from jeff goldblum's aptly named "tricycle man" racing across the periphery of the frame to shelley duvall's character ditching her aunt's funeral to hang out with boys)