Confessions of a Superhero (2007)
My only exposure to Confessions of a Superhero prior to watching it were a few glimpses of a few stills that showed a very tortured looking individual laying on a couch that may have been in a shrink’s office. Perhaps I should note that he was laying on a couch in a shrink’s office dressed as Superman, laying there, sprawled out, as if his costume were the most natural thing in the world, the only topic in fact, that wasn’t under consideration as he unburdened himself to an imaginary counselor. From this image I assumed Confessions of a Superhero to be a lark, probably mildly condescending, at best a not as good King of Kong.
I’m happy to admit that I’m mistaken; the inner torture that that image implies is respected and taken at face value. Confessions of a Superhero takes a subject that invites mockery and instead examines it with an empathy that ultimately becomes quite poignant. The film concerns superheroes for hire, people who populate the landmarks of Hollywood Blvd. dressed as iconic stars and movie characters, taking pictures for tips that are to carry them until they are, against considerable odds, “discovered” by a filmmaker. That they nurture this hope dressed as the most famous of the famous must be extra bittersweet, closer than ever to the life they are meant to be denied.
The film concerns four of these would be celebrities: The Hulk (Joseph McQueen) who took a bus to L.A. and immediately found himself camping in the mountains to evade the Rodney King riots; Superman (Christopher Dennis), who claims he’s the son of actress Sandy Dennis despite her family’s denial; Wonder Woman (Jennifer Gerht) perhaps the most clichéd of the bunch, a prom Queen from a small town in Tennessee with silver screen dreams; and, perhaps most interesting, Batman (Maxwell Allen), a troubled man with a mild George Clooney resemblance who may or may not have a criminal past more fitting a noir than a superhero movie.
We’re immediately struck, particularly with Batman and Superman, who appear to have a friendship, by how closely these people resemble their alter egos. Dennis is the most obsessive and, oddly, the most functional of the bunch, seemingly inheriting his character’s ceaseless optimism. He has a small apartment that serves as little more than a shrine to the Man of Steel, especially Christopher Reeve’s incarnation, who he does undoubtedly resemble. Though Margot Kidder isn’t lying when she says that it wouldn’t hurt some of these Supermen to go to the gym a few times a week, Dennis looks like Superman from the neck up and a Superman pencil from the neck down. Dennis has a longtime girlfriend who’s studying to be psychologist, and she’s the first to acknowledge the irony of their coupling.
Allen does indeed look a bit like George Clooney, or at least the kind of rough and tumble Clooney that could appear in a Frank Stallone film. Allen has a charisma, admittedly driven by possible insanity, that exudes a certain fascination, confessing to past murders as if they were unpaid parking tickets. Like Batman, Allen has anger issues, and doesn’t handle fans who forget to tip for his services very well. People like Batman are a threat to this street profession, as well as eventual ironic savior.
Wonder Woman is nursing a broken heart, having married someone she met a few weeks prior who shockingly turns out not to know her very well. Like many people who marry for thrill or novelty, the man appears to find Wonder Woman a lot more exciting on the street than in his home, and a certain bitterness and remoteness sets in. Wonder Woman suffers at home and through auditions, on the constant search for that safe feeling of understanding that eluded her in Tennessee and continues to elude her in L.A.
As moving as all of these people are, I found the Hulk’s impression to be the most lasting. McQueen describes the riots, his past homelessness and his promising gig in a Justin Lin film with an equal careful optimism. McQueen appears to be both the least and most guarded of the bunch: his huge angry costume seemingly mocking his open, vulnerable face.
I wonder how much the director, Mathew Ogens, shaped the material that he spent two years shooting here. All of the people, after hardship, don’t so much face a happy ending as a promising one, or at least promising enough to live to dress up another day. I hope the optimistic tides are legitimate and have lasted. It’s a mark of Ogens work that one leaves Confessions of a Superhero wondering such things. As absurd as these super-people can appear to be, we ultimately admire their courage.
★★★
March 27th, 2008 at 6:54 am
I’ve made fun of these low-rent superheroes and cartoon characters feeding off of tourists outside of the Chinese Theater and I assumed the movie was going to take the same tack. Imagine my surprise when it didn’t.
Yes, there are real people in those costumes standing in the hot sun, yes some of them are crazy, but they’re people and they’re clinging to a dream in a city that isn’t very kind to dreams.
It’s a testament to Confessions I think that I regard those people a little bit differently than I used to.
March 27th, 2008 at 6:55 am
What an insightful, thoughtful review. Stumbled onto your site and glad I did.
This reminds me of “American Movie” from a decade or so ago. A film that, on the outset, seems to be about making fun of it’s eclectic subjects, but that eventually comes to humanize them.
It’s too bad documentaries don’t get more attention. They are consistently some of the most moving, effecting films I see.
March 27th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Craig, I’ve never been to L.A. so I was only vaguely aware of these people at all, but I’m sure I would have looked at least a little bit down on them myself, I’m, like everyone else, not a big fan of being hasseled while trying to get from A to B.
Evan: Thanks for stopping by, glad to have you here! Good call on the American Movie comparison too, that film sneaks up on you, I may need to revisit that.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:05 am
We seem to be on the same reviewing track lately, although yours are always much more eloquent. It’s good to be able to compare my views with another’s so readily.
I enjoyed McQueen as the Hulk as well. He was definitely to most interesting to watch and I think I card for him the most. Maybe it was because he was younger, was homeless at one point, and had a costume that seemed like he bought it at a Halloween store instead of putting it together like the rest of the superheroes. He also seems to have the most promising future towards the end of the movie and it made me feel really proud of him for getting that part.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Good review. As someone who passes by these folk almost everyday, I’ve always had empathy. If they can act and make some money while entertaining people in the heart of Hollywood, why not? Tourists do love it.
March 27th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Justin: Thanks for the words. McQueen’s homelessness was disturbing (as it obviously would be), particularly how matter of factly he goes about telling his story. He seems to be handling a considerable amount of pain with grace, and one should respect that.
I agree Christian, and thanks for commenting on this, I was curious as to what actual L.A. residents thought about these guys.
March 27th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Hmm, how am I missing this movie as it makes its way around the country to everyone else? Well, hope to see it eventually and revisit this bad boy.
March 28th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
One of the best things you can say about a review is that it lets the film catch your eye. This one does. I appreciate it.
March 29th, 2008 at 9:16 am
You should definitely catch this one Christian.
March 30th, 2008 at 6:40 am
Daniel: I got this puppy through Netflix.