Charlottesville, VA Film
Festival: Screening Mac
with John Turturro
Twelve years in the making, Mac became almost an obsession with Turturro. With the story based on his real life father, one cannot but admire this tireless pursuit to deliver a film worthy of its subject matter. The story, set in the 1950s, revolves around Niccolo “Mac” Vitelli (Turturro) and his brothers as they try to make it in the construction business. With success around the corner, things get complicated as Mac’s commitment to his craft begins to take over his life and affect those close to him.
If we put Mac in the context of being a director’s first attempt, then it should be considered an unquestioned success. Tuturro not only brings quality acting to the foreground, but also a unique perspective behind the camera. After spending a good deal of time with the likes of the Coens and Spike Lee, it is quite apparent that their flair for invention has rubbed off on Turturro. We see this most notably in the opening credits showing the construction of a home’s foundation in the rain and the first minutes of the film depicting an almost surreal Italian funeral. These opening sequences are so well-executed that the audience can’t help but become visually absorbed by the film. However, within this success we, unfortunately, find a flaw. Turturro never revisits this creative dynamic, composed of heavily nuanced shot selections, even as the audience begs for its return. But this may be by design as Mac continues down a different path marked with surprising versatility.
Through a wonderful blend comedy and drama, Mac offers something for all members of the audience to enjoy. Not many films can find the right exchange between these mediums, but somehow Mac makes it work. Turturro is able to find laughter amidst a rather dreary backdrop of working-class immigrants struggling with the minutia of their blue-collar travails. This is where the film succeeds and allows Turturro to, yet again, leave a lasting impression on the audience.