Tommy John
From the Archives
•
8m 57s
A baseball player’s press conference about a season ending injury devolves into an existential breakdown. “Tommy John,” directed by Alex Goldberg, is a darkly comedic ride through the fractured psyche of a baseball star. What begins as your average sports press conference hits a tailspin when Jose Hernandez not only reveals major news about his physical health, but also a series of increasingly unhinged declarations about his mental state. “Inside of me, there is a hole,” he insists, before going into vivid detail of the meaninglessness of his life, a perpetual cycle of malls, churches, and dance clubs (soul-killing experiences at each — searching for food courts, endless baptisms, one-night stands, etc). As he sinks further into the void, Goldberg’s film expands its visual palette, mimicking club lights or dappled confessional rooms, and gets a great performance from Jaime Zevallos in full meltdown mode. It’s an inspired send-up of the sports presser format, where you would typically expect composure, emotional distance, and no personal revelation, turning it on its head for an inside look into a damaged subconscious spilling into public view.
Up Next in From the Archives
-
Prom Queen
A high school prom queen in Memphis is depressed. Cult Memphis filmmaker’s epic short about teenage depression. Funny, touching stuff. Directed by Ben Siler.
-
Guzzle Buddies
Two tortured men spend the day taking care of one another. Michael Rees’ “Guzzle Buddies” features a charismatic Lewis Pullman and Kyle Chase in a darkly comedic examination of male friendship and deep-seated crisis. Lewis comes home to find his roommate, Kyle, in the middle of an existential pan...
-
Trailer | THE DAYS FLY GALLOPING FROM...