Grand Canyon
(1991/Lawrence Kasdan)


During Lawrence Kasdan’s film Grand Canyon, two characters are asked the same question: If there is love going on there? ‘There’ refers to Los Angeles, were (despite the title), the film takes place. Ironically, a deaf person who lives on the opposite side of the country asks the question. Judging from some of the scenes in the film, the answer would be ‘no’, but it’s what the characters take from these instances that makes the love exist, and also to make this the only modern film to truly answer life’s hardest question: what’s the point to it all?

The characters are all in the middle of transitions: A recently divorced tow-truck driver whose sister’s family lives in a rough neighborhood; a lawyer who wants to break off an affair; a mother whose son is maturing; and a producer who makes brainless action films. During the course of several weeks, these characters face several life altering experiences that make them notice the world around them…if only for a moment, that is. I’m not going to explain what all the experiences are exactly, but each are unique, and each uniquely change the life of the person in which it occurs.

Steve Martin plays the film producer, whom I’ve always felt was blessed with a smart sense of talent, even if he hasn’t always used it. As the producer, he drifts aimlessly through life demanding more violent content in his films so they will sell. One day, after parking his car, a man approaches him with a gun and asks for his watch. Martin’s character instead gives him the keys to his expensive ride, and takes a bullet in the leg for it. He awakens from his surgery a new man, or so he thinks. He declares that he will never make another violent movie, and only produce serious pictures. The life altering experience has taken him above the metropolis 90’s L.A. society, and shown him how little he is in the world.

All the characters in Grand Canyon experience a similar reaction to their occurrences, but each respond differently. After a near-death situation, Kevin Kline’s character in the film has a talk with Danny Glover’s character: they discuss the Grand Canyon. One recollects a trip there, and mentions how it took thousands of years for it to form, and how it still continues to change as they sit there and talk. They realize that in a thousand years, their problems as well as themselves will be gone: but the Grand Canyon will remain.

Martin’s character ends up compromising his prophecy, declaring that through this experience, he’s learned that violence is a part of life. At least now he understands why he needs to insert violence in his films: because it does not alter society, it reflects it. He knows, because he has lived through it.

In a decade full of 90’s L.A. ensemble character studies, ranging from Altman’s “Short Cuts” through Anderson’s “Magnolia” and all the way to Mann’s “Heat”, Grand Canyon started it all. It was the first film to explore the decadence that American culture had on the Los Angeles of the 1990’s, and goes even further to establish valued life lessons. Grand Canyon shows us a group of confused people who soon realize their confusion doesn’t matter, and just to deal with it the best that they can. This might not be the first film to ask such questions, but it is by far the best answer.
#9

I'm surprised at how many multi-character L.A. films have been made since then. It sounds interesting, although I don't like Steve Martin that much.

Great review, Omar.

OMAR?!?!?!

So I guess you're not interested in his recent film "Shopgirl", that is getting high marks? Oh well, we can talk about that later.
Martin is not the main character in the film, but for me, the most interesting. Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, and Mary McDonnell take up most of the screen time, and they are amazing.

Patrick:
How are you?

Omar, that's mostly due to me hearing his standup shows on XM and Sirius radio. 95% of it wasn't funny, such as one bit where he discussed his great timing ability, but didn't even say anything funny for five minutes. Plus, I have yet to see a good movie of his, although I hear The Jerk is good.

"Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" (1982).

I'm chillin bro. How you doing?

Great movie. Great acting. A superb Kevin Kline, as usual.