Special Review: "Dead Man Walking"

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." This is taken from Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 in the Bible, and was traditionally thought of to be written by King Solomon, the most intelligent and powerful man in the world at that time. He had amassed vast wealth, women, and property, and supposedly wrote this book at the end of his reign, proving that you can have all the earthy riches of the world but in the end find it all meaningless. 

This is also the opening sequence in the Mario Ricciardi-directed follow-up to his fantastic debut film "Midwest Sessions" called "Dead Man Walking." The film follows a company man named Joe (played by Thomas Kushner) who is tasked with an assignment - travel across the Midwest to deliver legal documents to a mysterious purchaser whose documents could hold cosmic implications. Ricciardi is well known for blending genres and themes, as this is a blend between Western, sci-fi, and existential drama that on the outside seems like a simple linear film but underneath holds layers upon layers of themes and thoughts that are slowly unpacked throughout the film's runtime - and even then it's not fully explained, but rather open to interpretation for the viewer to get what they want out of it.

As I said, the premise is simple - Joe simply walks through the Midwest carrying a briefcase, coming upon different people on his journey. Some are family. Some are friends. Some are random strangers. Some are out to get the briefcase at any cost. Throughout each interaction Joe takes a picture of them as he moves on, and in the middle he watches a movie at a local motel. That movie is one we see as well, focusing on three different tales - old friends at a bowling alley who find their roads diverging; an older man working as a janitor who talks about going out with the guys but ends up walking alone listening to his Walkman; and an avid bird watcher who believes that birds are a government conspiracy to keep track of the general populous. These stories intertwine with the overarching narrative in their general theme, and also tie in with the Ecclesiastes quote at the start of the film.

Essentially, the question asked is what is the purpose of life? We grow up, fall in love, have friends, get a job, and basically move through our lives from start to finish. Even Joe's journey is a basic one. He's doing it because it's his job. The pictures he takes hold special meaning, in that they're the only things that remain constant and permanent, giving rise to a new theme the movie delivers: life's not meaningless, but just not permanent. Those are two different things that oftentimes coincide with one another, as we see moments in life as not having much meaning, yet we find ourselves going back to those times in our mind, hoping that they would somehow turn into permanence. Much like how we mishear song lyrics and shape our understanding through them, so do we sometimes mishear life and shape our understanding through that, but forget what really matters.

Unlike "Midwest Sessions," this film doesn't include different vignettes that keeps the audience's attention, but instead focuses almost solely on the movie's main protagonist, Joe. Played with steadfast earnestness by Thomas Kushner, even he finds himself sleepwalking through existence, oftentimes saying out loud that he should feel something, but doesn't. It's not that life is meaningless, but it's not permanent - things change, life goes on, and eventually death catches up with us all.

Mario Ricciardi's second film is much more confident than his first, having learned valuable lessons in filmmaking between the two and utilizing his newfound talents (as well as his own brand of writing, editing, and shooting) to "Dead Man Walking," making it a more overall polished feel. The editing is sublime with the low budget, making it look like a major studio release, and the sound design and songs are extremely well done as well. It also showcases the best Youngstown has to offer, as Joe travels from scene to scene highlighting the better side of the former Steel City. 

While there's several ways to interpret "Dead Man Walking," it's a visual masterclass in style, substance, and scenery, opening up thought-provoking dialogue about the meaninglessness of life, the quest for meaning, and the importance of holding onto special moments, as life itself is never permanent. 

The Score: A-