In 1980s Jane Fonda had all the reasons to be content with her life and career – starting as member of Hollywood royalty she became sex symbol, respected (and sometimes controversial) political activist, Oscar-winning actress and, finally, successful businesswoman whose promotion of aerobic made her a role model among fellow middle-aged women. If you ask how she would look in an alternative universe where she failed to be all that, the answer might be given by character she played in The Morning After, 1986 thriller directed by Sidney Lumet. The plot begins when washed up alcoholic actress Alex Sternbergen a.k.a. Viveca Van Loren (played by Fonda) wakes up on Thanksgiving morning in someone’s loft without any idea how she ended there. This was not the first such instance, but what makes it different is the fact that in bed next to her is a man (played by Geoffrey Scott) with knife stuck into his chest. Alex fears that she might have killed him during alcohol-fueled blackout. When she phones her friend and husband, socially climbing hairdresser Joaquin “Jackie” Manero (played by Raul Julia) and asks for help, she advises her to call the police. Alex has different ideas and instead tries to leave Los Angeles, but holiday traffic and makes it impossible. Thankfully, a kindhearted stranger named Turner Kendall (played by Jeff Bridges) provides help, thus allowing Alex to try to remove some evidence from the murder scene. He appears attracted to Alex, which turns convenient when it turns out that someone apparently informed police about the crime and tried to plant incriminating evidence. Kendall, who used to work as policeman, becomes convinced that Alex is actually being framed.
Directed by Sidney Lumet, prolific film maker whose opus included legendary courtroom drama 12 Angry Men starring Jane’s father Henry Fonda, The Morning After starts promisingly, by setting up intriguing mystery. Unfortunately, after a while film becomes somewhat less than a thriller and more of a character study, allowing Jane Fonda to deliver interesting performance in the role of somewhat annoying person. She, despite all of her great talent, fails to establish proper chemistry with Jeff Bridges and film additionally suffers because of unconvincing romantic subplot. The Morning After improves near the finale, when actual mystery plot gets resolved and also provides opportunity for Lumet to give a little bit of social commentary. There are plenty of unused potential in this film and some good ideas in script, like both Turner and Alex being flawed character – she is obnoxious drunk and he tends to use “politically incorrect” words for certain ethnic and racial groups. It is, however, Lumet’s direction that makes this film watchable. The Morning After was the only Lumet’s film set in Los Angeles, city which, unlike his beloved New York, he hated. Lumet insisted on all scenes being shot during daylight and cinematography by Andrzej Bartkowiak makes the city sunny and bright but at the same time agoraphobic and menacing for protagonist. Another good element of the film is at times bombastic but mostly effective musical score by Paul Chihara. Fonda received Oscar nomination for her role, but most of the critics weren’t enthusiastic about the film. Today’s audience might like it as solid but unremarkable thriller, while cinephiles might be interested as rather unusual piece of Lumet’s filmography.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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