|
A tried-and-true staple of Hollywood, the romantic comedy is a genre strongly predicated on a very specific formula. Whether it's the meet-cute, the grand romantic gestures, or simply the notion that everything will conveniently work out in the end, it's a category of films that often depicts an idealistic fantasy — one that rarely conforms to the realities of everyday life. The cinematic equivalent of comfort food, the rom-com represents escapism in its purest form, offering viewers precisely the kind of moviegoing experience they're craving. It's when filmmakers buck the trend, however, that things really start to get interesting. And with Addition, that's just what director Marcelle Lunam sets out to do, in this story of one woman's struggles not just with relationships, but also her mental health. A mathematician by trade who also happens to suffer from a severe case of arithmomania, Grace Lisa Vandenberg (Teresa Palmer) has spent almost all 34 years of her life preoccupied with counting the things that everyone else around her seems to ignore. From the books on her shelf to the bristles on her toothbrush, nothing is off limits when it comes to her mind's need for numerical order. It's an obsession that has caused her to experience anxiety attacks, and which has even led her to conjure up an imaginary Nikola Tesla (Eamon Farren) to keep her company at times when she's feeling lonely. But when one of her OCD episodes sees her randomly meeting a house painter named Seamus (Joe Dempsie), Grace will find herself presented with a genuine reason to try and curb her obsessive tendencies. It's a concentrated effort on her part that seems to work for a while, allowing Grace and Seamus to strike up a romantic relationship the likes of which she hasn't had in years. However, when her old ways eventually get the better of her, will she feel comfortable enough to let him into the darkest parts of her life? Or will she push him away like she's always done in the past whenever people try to help? Based on the 2008 novel by Toni Jordan, the result isn't your typical romantic comedy, but rather a tale about relationships framed through the lens of a mental health drama. Audiences need not worry, though, for while that may sound like too serious of a topic for the genre, both Palmer and Dempsie do fine jobs keeping the movie feeling fairly light, despite the more somber turns of its script. Needless to say, it's those who have been affected by mental health issues who will be most enamored by this non-formulaic genre entry. For everyone else, Addition still adds up; just be prepared for some heavy emotional math along the way. |
Addition screens under the Centrepience programme at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 1 hr. 31 min.
0 comments