Henry Johnson

I am 9 minutes and 20 seconds into this 1 hour and 25 minute movie, somebody reviewed it and called it mamet speak, this is absolutely 100% undeniable atrocious ridiculous stupid terrible nonsense!, no way on somebody's green earth do two lawyers talk this way!, what they are saying is so nonsensical and dumb that no one and I mean no one unless you review this movie with a seven or an eight or something and have I guess dubious thinking skills possibly could sensibly consider this dialogue as in any way meaningful it is not meaningful it is in direct contrast to whatever is meaningful, don't waste your time on this well I'm going to call it gobbledygook if that's permissible, what a dumb movie.

Wordy playwright David Mamet got behind the camera for the first time in a decade+ to direct his own screenplay (adapted from his own play) "Henry Johnson" - a dull & plodder that may delight his pseudo-intellectual snob fans but will sink anyone else into a morose coma. It's basically four conversations the titular Evan Jonigkeit has with Chris Bauer (good), Shia LaBeouf (twice), then Dominic Hoffman. If it ended after Bauer's opener it would make a neat short, but no, it descends on into weighty come forgettable droning monologues to illustrate one man's weakness. It's a crushing bore that'll make most hope Mamet disappears for another decade+. Dreadful.

I'll start by saying I'm a big Mamet fan. In many ways diving into his catalog of plays was what led me to begin a career in theater. Which is what made the last few plays of his- China doll, the penitent and the anarchist so disheartening- they sucked. A lot. They just lacked the sizzle of what makes Mr mamets work shine. But Henry Johnson is a linguistic banger with actors that elevate the words with ride or die commitment. Sure, maybe the jumps in time are a touch jarring, especially from the second to last scene to the last scene, but this is a true Mamet work in all the best ways, and for that I'm truly grateful.

It's hard to believe Henry Johnson was written and directed by David Mamet. There are only four scenes and five characters, but that's not the issue. The issue is how it leaves you feeling like you're watching something important without ever being allowed to understand why.

There is meaning here-but it's buried so deep under cryptic dialogue and missing context that it becomes exhausting to chase. My wife and I, both fans of layered storytelling, followed the plot. We knew what was happening. But knowing what's happening and feeling anything from it are two different things.

The main character, Henry, is a puppet-manipulated by everyone around him, devoid of agency, drifting through the film with no spine and no mind of his own. That might be the point, but it makes for an incredibly frustrating viewing experience. You keep waiting for him to wake up, push back, do something-but he never does.

Watching Henry Johnson is like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces intentionally missing. Or worse, like having sex with the worst person you've ever met: dull, one-sided, and strangely confident in itself. You suffer through it, holding out for something transformative, and get five seconds at the end that almost-but not quite-redeem the misery.

There's a version of this film that could've been brilliant. This isn't it.

This one is deep. My only critique is that I want more of it. I'll probably watch it a few more times to grasp all of the dynamics at play portrait by the four seen characters and role of the unseen therapist.

Each actors performance is impeccable. I came to this movie, only being familiar with Shia LaBeouf, but I will be watching more works of the other actors as well.

As a former marriage and family therapist, I believe everyone in the mental health field should have this as required viewing. We never meet her so we don't know her true motives or truth, but this film raises important questions.