Realize

Author(s): Pierre (OH)
Realize

Directed by Sean Penn
Written by Sean Penn

Starring:

Terrence Howard as Lance
Sharon Leal as Tanya
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Andrew
Richard Jenkins as George
Julie Walters as Victoria
Robert Ri’chard as Rick

Tagline: Realize what you have been missing and what you could miss.

Synopsis: A mind is a terrible thing to waste. That is what has been running through Lances mind since he was a child. Growing up his mom worked two jobs to support him and 2 other sons that a father walked out on. A better life for his mother and a strong example for his younger brothers has always been his motivation. When he got into college and graduated at the top of his class the cheers from his mom could be heard around the world. The night he went to celebrate with his friends changed his mind when it came to his goals however. He added two more when he met the love of his life Tanya. Raise a family and set an example for his kids.

Andrew was always the poster child. He was the only one born from his mothers womb and made straight A’s all through high school but that was the only thing that was straight about him. He fell in love with Rick when he was 19 and has been keeping it a secret from his family.

Victoria and George are an elderly couple that just retired from both of their jobs so they can start their life long vacation together that they have been waiting for.

Why keep secrets from the people you love? Andrews mother and father has been so supportive of him but how will this change their perception of him. Will they disown him or accept what most people call a disease that Andrew has. But this isn’t a disease it is just love between two people. Andrew picks up the phone and decides to just come out and say it. When his father picks up the phone and says hello, before Andrew can spit it out his father says hold on something is happening next door.

Down syndrome, that is what their first child may be born with. Tanya’s cries fill the room after getting the phone call from her doctor. She just can’t understand how a successful family can have a curse put upon them like this. But Lance looks at it like a gift. He realizes that God didn’t have to bless them with a child in the first place. As Lance comforts his wife she denies him and says that she is getting an abortion to spare their embarrassment. Before Lance can open up with an argument they hear something from the kitchen.

Victoria hates having what she calls the devils toy in her house. Which is a 9 millimeter pistol. But it seems today that it may come in handy since the next door neighbors are getting robbed. George grabs the pistol and precedes to go outside. He finds a dark figure lurking outside the house of his next door neighbor. The figure speaks “don’t shoot” as he is approaching George. “Get down” are the words spoken next from George. “It’s ok” is what George hears next. BANG!!! Those are the sounds that ring through the once quiet neighborhood.

Lance goes downstairs quietly to see if the noise from the kitchen is just a mouse. On his way down the steps he grabs the 25 pound weight he has been using to work out his arms. As he is going down stairs he finds a young black man going through things. Lance goes towards him and hits him upside his head. He hears noises come from next door of concern and goes outside to let them know everything is ok since he knows they probably saw the young man breaking through the kitchen window. When he goes outside he finds Mr. George coming towards him and soon a bullet after that.

The waiting room is quiet except for the cries heard by Tanya. She is cursing Mr. George as if it were on purpose. The waiting room gets even more silent when the doctor comes back and lets Tanya know the news.

Questions are quickly followed by answers because George knows it was an accident. When they release him, he finds his wife and son waiting in the lobby. He then finds his son in shock when Andrew sees Rick coming through the lobby with a bandage on his head. George tells Andrew that he was the cause for all of this mess and Andrew lets his father know that he is the cause of the mess that will soon follow this.

Tanya rubs her stomach slowly and tells her son that it will be okay because he will not be seeing daddy in heaven anytime soon.

What The Press Would Say: After his great success but also somewhat failure with “Into the Wild” director Sean Penn gives us a story about realizing what is most important in life. Whether it be trust or love, sometimes you find out what you have been missing when it is too late. There isn’t really one person you can pick from this well put together cast but if you could the stand out would defiantly be from Sharon Leal from “Why Did I Get Married”. She brings the performance that will be on peoples lips and minds long after the movie ends. At the end of the film her face explains the point Sean Penn was trying to make. With a lot of buzz from his film “The Visitor” Richard Jenkins brings another great dramatic performance that most critics didn’t know was in him. His shows hurt, shock and anger in a single moment which is hard to do for any actor. Joseph Gordon-Levitt of “The Lookout” fame brings a very brave performance on screen. Terence Howard, the headliner does what great stars do and that is take a back seat and let his co-stars shine. To round out the cast is Julie Waters and Robert Ri’chard who gives the supporting roles needed to make this a complete film. Realize that this is the film of the year.

FYC:

Best Picture
Best Director: Sean Penn
Best Supporting Actor: Terence Howard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Richard Jenkins
Best Supporting Actress: Sharon Leal
Best Original Screenplay: Sean Penn