inkblot11 Review of Griffin & Phoenix

Griffin & Phoenix (2006)

Somewhat contrived but still moving, mostly due to nice performances by Mulroney and Peet

[7/10 · 25 November 2009]

Griffin (Dermot Mulroney) has just received a second opinion on his lung cancer. The news is worse. He definitely has only months to live and there are no experimental treatments that can extend his existence. On top of that, Griffin, an insurance salesman, lives in a small, Manhattan apartment, furnished with cast-offs, as his wife and two sons got the suburban house when the divorce went down. Realizing his that his days are short, Griffin makes a huge pass at beautiful Phoenix (Amanda Peet) during a chance meeting at Columbia University. She is extremely reluctant to accept his dinner proposal, giving the impression that she is not "available" in the love market. Nevertheless, she shows up at the restaurant anyway when Griffin extends an open invitation. The date lasts the entire night, with the duo getting kicked out of a cinema for incessant talking and watching the sunrise together in a riverfront park. But, Phoenix still seems reluctant, in part because Griffin asks very few questions about who she really is. Could she be hiding something, too? In fact, she is, for she is also terminally ill with ovarian cancer. Will these two bring joy to each other in their waning days? This movie is somewhat contrived but hangs together by the performances of Mulroney and Peet. No matter how unreal a scene might seem, the two make it work. Yes, there is some honesty here as well about how we, as human beings, react when presented with our eminent deaths. It is a certainty that most individuals would try to create some final lasting memories and that's what these two do. As to more mundane matters, the scenery, costumes, and production values are good, resulting in a nice-looking film. Also, the supporting cast, although it has a very minor role, is fine. All in all, the film would probably be beneficial to anyone who is going through their own terminal illnesses or who have friends/family in this dark situation. Cathartic it is. But, in the end, the movie is rather depressing. Anyone who chooses to watch it had better be prepared to deal with its issues and may want to follow up the view with a screening of Some Like It Hot or any other gut-busting comedy.