After a selfish L.A. yuppie learns his estranged father left a fortune to an autistic-savant brother in Ohio that he didn’t know existed, he absconds with his brother and sets out across the country, hoping to gain a larger inheritance.
“Rain Man” was directed by Barry Levinson, a veteran filmmaker who has made a mixed bag of films that have been hit or miss. His best is the politically charged “Wag the Dog” (reunited with Dustin Hoffman) for remaining relevant and funny. I also admire “Bugsy,” the Warren Beatty-starring gangster picture about Beanie Siegel, his doomed affair with Virginia Hill, and his quixotic quest to build the first major hotel and casino in Las Vegas. And Levinson has also made a slew of forgettable comedies and some semi-autobiographical films like “Diner” and “Liberty Heights.” Recently, he shared directing duties on the well-made “Dopesick” miniseries aimed at the vampiric Pharmaceutical industry.
Cinematographer John Seale, who shot plenty of splendid films with Peter Weir (“Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “The Last Wave”), makes “Rain Man’s” road trip very watchable. Seale also shot the maniacal road trip “Mad Max: Fury Road,” so it’s clear he can make the open road look remarkable. And I’ll always appreciate his ingenuity, like when he placed a wedding veil on the camera for “Picnic at Hanging Rock” to make that film look ethereal.
When he is not defying the laws of gravity in action outings, Cruise is excellent when he clenches his jaw and is a seething jerk. It is also lovely to see his misanthropic nature change for the better. As Charlie, a luxury car salesman trying to hustle his way to wealth, is selfish and driven. “Rain Man’s” strong suit is its car talk and various models being driven. And being a road trip film, seeing the American landscape and an assortment of picturesque towns keeps the dated plot engaging.
Being made in 1988, there is a black cloud of the Reagan era, which is seen through Charlie and Ray’s relationship with their now-deceased father, who was relentlessly punitive. As a final order from beyond the grave, the father’s trust of $3 million is left to the older autistic Ray (Dustin Hoffman). Charlie essentially kidnaps his estranged brother Ray to gain control of his trust. So the two and Susanna head to L.A. in the classic Buick that Charlie’s father forbade them to drive. Charlie’s girlfriend Susanna is played by Valeria Golino, who was in a fair amount of ’90s films but has left Hollywood, now regularly appearing in international productions.
Speaking on Hoffman’s performance, I’ll let legendary film critic Pauline Kael talk; she said: “‘Rain Man’ is Dustin Hoffman humping one note on a piano for two hours and eleven minutes. It’s his dream role. As the autistic savant Raymond Babbitt, he’s impenetrable: he doesn’t make eye contact, touch anyone, or carry on a conversation; he doesn’t care what anybody thinks of him.”
But the road trip and some other moments hold up. There’s a scene where the two brothers check into a motel, and after Charlie gets the key, the scene’s languid pace settles you into the moment. It’s a minor moment, but lately, this subdued cinematic touch is a lost art. Few filmmakers have the confidence, or common sense, to slow moments down which positively enhances the visual medium.
Written by Barry Morrow, “Rain Man’s” screenplay does a decent job of letting the mystery of the brothers’ tragic past slowly unravel. But Morrow’s representation of high-functioning autism is mainly played for laughs while condescendingly spoon-feeding Ray’s humanity to the audience. I remember thinking the card counting scene in Las Vegas was the coolest thing when I was younger, but today it feels anticlimactic. Marrow’s script points out that Charlie exploits Ray’s disability, but he fails to critique society and uses the material for dramatic moments.
Today, “Rain Man” is usually referenced as the butt of the joke. In the last season of “Barry,” a major character hilariously watches it on T.V. in prison and relates to it. Also, Hans Zimmer’s score is dated and of the time. In this era during the ’80s, Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon were on their African sound kick, and that Afro-Caribbean style was being appropriated in many commercials. Zimmer, thankfully, has gone on to much better films, but this score was reused in the superior “True Romance.”
I was unmoved most of the time, but seeing Tom Cruise smoke a cigarette was fun since he will probably never do that again onscreen. And seeing Susanna forcibly kiss Ray did not age well. Some Horny producer was like, “We gotta get Ray laid.” Different times!
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