'Freeheld' is ponderous but Michael Shannon is a standout
鈥淔reeheld鈥� is certainly timely, though, given its ponderous approach,聽less than invigorating. Based on Cynthia Wade鈥檚 Oscar-winning聽documentary of the same name, it鈥檚 about real-life New Jersey detective Laurel聽Hester (Julianne Moore), a 23-year veteran of the force, who is diagnosed with聽late-stage lung cancer and in 2002 attempts to sign over her pension聽benefits to her much younger life partner, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page),聽despite the near-total resistance of the state鈥檚 county legislature (whose聽members are known as freeholders).聽
The early scenes, when Laurel and Stacie first meet and court, are聽charming, and the performers' contrapuntal acting styles here 聽鈥� Moore is聽wary and borderline abrasive, Page open-hearted and blunt 鈥� ring true. But聽when the diagnosis arrives, all the predictable buttons are pushed and聽righteousness reigns. Director Peter Sollett, whose debut feature, 鈥淩aising聽Victor Vargas,鈥� was such a loose-limbed wonder, takes no chances here.聽The screenwriter, Ron Nyswaner, essentially recaps his problem-picture聽dramaturgy from 鈥淧hiladelphia,鈥� only less successfully. Steve Carrel聽shows up in a cameo as LGBT activist Steven Goldstein, a self-proclaimed 鈥渂ig loud gay Jew,鈥� and, as discordant as his performance is,聽he鈥檚 a welcome relief from all the puffed-up posturing.聽
I must single out Michael Shannon from the general run of mediocrity. 聽As Laurel鈥檚 long-time police partner, Dane Wells, he gives a performance聽of great subtlety and depth. Dane is a straight-arrow type whose growing聽solicitude for Laurel and her predicament is entirely believable and聽without a trace of cant. Shannon is one of our best actors and makes every聽movie he appears in, including this one, worth a look. Grade:聽C+ (Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements, language and sexuality.)
