Pumpkin

For approximately three-fourths of its nearly two-hour running time, Pumpkin finds the right balance between satire, black comedy, and offbeat drama. However, the quirky independent film loses its focus on its way to the finish line, stumbling through several "false endings" and ultimately concluding with a whimper. The film's last act problems do not obscure Pumpkin's two greatest strengths: the majority of the film is original and engaging, and Christina Ricci turns in another fine performance. This pair of assets alone is worth the price of admission.

The movie of which Pumpkin reminded me the most strongly is Heathers. Both features adopt similar tones and don't worry about straying into edgy territory in their quest to provoke a laugh or make a point. The film starts out as a point-blank satire of sorority life, then gradually develops a dramatic vein that results in a highly unusual romance (which is treated semi-seriously) and a personality transplant for the lead character. Pumpkin never loses its sense of humor, but it is at its most biting during the first hour, before more serious concerns replace a significant portion of the black comedy.

Carolyn McDuffy (Ricci) is the ideal sorority sister. The right-hand woman of Alpha Omega Pi's leader, Julie (Marisa Coughlan), Carolyn is as vacuous and peppy as any of the members of the rival house, Tri-Omega. As in the past, this year, Alpha Omega Pi and Tri-Omega are locked in a heated battle for the coveted title of "Southern California State University Sorority of the Year", and Julie is determined to win. To aid the cause, she decides that the sisters are going to perform mentorship duties for a group of physically and mentally handicapped individuals preparing for the "Challenge Games" (think Special Olympics). Carolyn and her roommate, Jeanine (Dominique Swain), are convinced that this is a bad idea, but they are overruled. Carolyn's charge is a young man named Pumpkin (Hank Harris), who doesn't talk much and can only get out of his wheelchair for a few moments at a time. He is immediately smitten by Carolyn, and, after only a session with her, begins to show enough determination to improve his physical condition that his mother (Brenda Blethyn) notices. Meanwhile, Carolyn is freaked out by working with Pumpkin, and considers quitting. But she can't, and, despite having the "perfect" boyfriend, tennis star Kent Woodlands (Sam Ball), she finds herself increasingly attracted to Pumpkin.

There's a little of the satirical tone of Bring It On and Legally Blonde in Pumpkin's approach, but, in this movie, it is better integrated into the overall story. Pumpkin is straightforward in choosing its targets - the "Stepford wife" mentality of sorority sisters, the lack of tolerance amongst supposedly-liberal college students, and society's views of the handicapped as second-rate citizens. The primary target of the screenplay's scorn, at least early in the film, is Carolyn, who represents all of these things. As her personality changes, and she becomes more "real", the movie develops a dramatic arc. Ultimately, while the relationship between Carolyn and Pumpkin is never played entirely straight, it makes for an effective motion picture romance.

That co-directors Anthony Abrams and Adam Larson Broder keep all of Pumpkin's diverse elements in order for about 90 minutes is to their credit. Many filmmakers would have lost control of the material early in the proceedings, and Pumpkin would have turned into a mess. Abrams and Broder's problem appears to be that they couldn't decide how to end the movie. This results in an uneven final 30 minutes that often feels protracted and unnecessary. Several times during this half-hour, when I thought the movie had reached its conclusion, it lurched ahead towards the next false stopping point.

The role of Carolyn appears to have been tailor made for Ricci, whose fondness for offbeat projects and aptitude with both comedy and drama are well known. The actress, who started her career as little Wednesday Addams, has gone on to appear in such films as The Ice Storm, The Opposite of Sex, Buffalo 66, and Prozac Nation. The way in which Ricci takes control of her part is amazing; she transforms a one-dimensional caricature into a three-dimensional woman. The idea of a character undergoing an awakening is nothing new, but the manner in which Ricci presents this is convincing - plus, she never falls out of step with Pumpkin's tone.

Playing opposite Ricci is Hank Harris, whose low-key performance as the shy, quiet Pumpkin is a nice fit for the film. Harris spares us the kind of overacting that often goes into playing a handicapped, mentally retarded individual. He and Ricci interact well - so well, in fact, that it's conceivable to view Carolyn and Pumpkin as star-crossed lovers. Support is given by Brenda Blethyn as Pumpkin's mother, Sam Ball as Carolyn's boyfriend, and Dominique Swain and Marisa Coughlin as fellow sorority sisters.

For directors Abrams and Broder, this is a successful debut. The film's problems, obvious though they may be, are not enough to dissuade me from offering a recommendation. 90 minutes of solidly engaging cinema is more than most movies can offer. This particular Pumpkin deserves to be picked, not left out on the vine to wither away.

© 2002 James Berardinelli