SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS is well worth watching in theaters, on demand for television, or DVD. Though the film is out and available at present, this ad for a movie poster is the only opportunity to attract attention to an excellent movie and encourage people to watch for it. The story addresses several tough issues - the plight of the homeless on skid row, the lack of support for disabled persons, the arena of faith healing, and the at times crumbling dreams and realities of rock bands. The film was written by Christopher Thornton who suffered spinal cord injury in 1992 resulting in his being a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair: he has over come his disability by becoming a much lauded stage actor (the first to play Hamlet in a wheelchair, etc): Thornton also stars in this film and his performance introduces an actor of exceptional virtuosity. Mark Ruffalo directs his first film and also stars as one of the lead characters.
'Delicious' Dean O'Dwyer (Christopher Thornton) is a DJ on the rise in Los Angeles whose career is devastated by a motorcycle accident leaving him confined to a wheelchair, living in a car on skid row. He is part of the people cared for by Father Joe Roselli (Mark Ruffalo) who recognizes a life worth saving and turns his attention to Dean, attempting to restore his ability to walk by taking him to a faith healing revival lead by Healer (John Carroll Lynch). Though Dean is not healed himself he does happen to touch one of his fellow skid row dwellers who is subsequently miraculously healed. One of Dean's friends, Rene (Noah Emmerich) discovers Dean's powers and pleads with him to heal fellow paraplegic Rene. Dean does not believe in his power of faith healing (he is frustrated that he cannot heal himself!) and continues to search for a place where he can return to being a performing DJ.
Dean meets bass player Ariel Lee (Juliette Lewis, in a stunning star turn) who is convinced Dean should join a forming band composed of The Stain (Orlando Bloom), Ariel, and Oogie (Dov Tiefenbach). While the rasty band recognizes Dean's talent as a possible addition to the band, the band's PR person Nina Hogue (Laura Linney) will have none of it. it is only when Dean's healing powers surface that the band - and Nina - want him to give them an image that will make them famous. Dean is discouraged by Father Joe, pleading with him to remain at skid row performing his healing so that Father Joe will increase donations to his charity care house. Conflicts arise, incidents occur with the band and at skid row and Dean's place in all of this new fame is altered: money seems to be the driver that destroys many people and gets in the way of the true value of Dean's healing gift.
The film is strong on many levels - especially the acting (except for Orlando Bloom who overwhelms the story in the wrong way) - and as a first film to be directed by the very gifted Mark Ruffalo it holds promise of works to come. Christopher Thornton is not only a fine writer and actor, but his screen presence i so powerful that it is likely he will become as major a star on film as he is on stage.
Grady Harp
