In 1930, one of the most well regarded pieces of fiction in American literature was published. That story, written by the late William Faulkner, is As I Lay Dying. As I Lay Dying tells the story of Addie Bundren (Beth Grant) as she both prepares for death and travels, as a corpse, to her proper place of burial. As her family, consisting of her children Jewel (Logan Marshall-Green), Darl (James Franco), Dewey Dell (Ahna O’Reilly) and Cash (Jim Parrack) and her husband Anse (Tim Blake Nelson), travels across town to bury her, they face difficult obstacles that threaten not only to stop them from burying Addie, but to tear their family apart at the seams.
Like Faulkner, James Franco is known for his ability to tell deep, meaningful stories. With Franco taking the reins on As I Lay Dying, viewers (and fans of Franco) expect that his storytelling ability accurately translates the novel to film. As usual, Franco finds ways to expand on the usual and creates a spectacle unlike anything most viewers have ever seen. Similar to the way Duncan Roy used four camera angles to depict the story of AKA (2002), Franco, and crew, use multiple cameras to help tell the story of Addie’s demise. From chapter to chapter, Faulkner’s novel is told from the point of view of fourteen different characters in first person fashion. In order to depict the ever changing point of view of the novel, Franco chooses to use two cameras at once through a good portion of the film. The constant change is sometimes difficult to follow, yet, Franco’s prowess allows audiences to understand said changes enough to follow the story.
Franco and Matt Rager aim to keep to the novel as best as possible. With this they made the decision to keep the film slow moving with little action. Faulkner always focused on the depth and precision of his stories, and Franco and Rager do him justice by sticking close to the original storyline, pacing and dark tone of As I Lay Dying. Even with his impeccable attention to detail and his unparallelled ability to transform the multi-narrative text to film, his audience is small. The story does not grip audiences the same way that high-octane franchises of the twenty-first century often try to. The existential views of Faulkner’s characters invoke deep thought that allows the audiences that are interested a new outlook on life. These views are often depressing and appealing, leaving audiences feeling vulnerable and pessimistic.
Even in all of the depression, Franco captures the innocence, the anger and the optimism of the many contrasting characters using his multi-camera approach to the film. While the cameras help to capture much of what takes place on screen in new and inspiring ways, the ability for audiences to understand the raw and multifaceted emotion throughout the film is possible as a result of the acting. Tim Blake Nelson, in particular, produced an Oscar-worthy performance. Anse is one of the more infuriating characters in fiction as he always puts his own needs before the needs of his many children, and his choices often result in others being hurt, punished or worse. Anse, while infuriating, is, like the rest of the story, multi-dimensional. He embodies characteristics of each of his children, and he allows audiences to understand the pain and suffering that the family endures throughout their journey. While he nevers redeems himself and he never appeals to the viewers, Nelson’s ability to incorporate pieces of his children’s demeanors and ideals into his performance further opens the eyes of viewers to the harsh realities of the Bundren family and allows them to contemplate their own flaws as well.
Through mutli-dimensional camera work and acting, the cast and crew of As I Lay Dying develop a film that is well transformed from the work of the master of words, William Faulkner. The slow moving, anticlimactic, film opens up audiences to beautiful thoughts about death, depression and understanding. James Franco finds ways to deliver the highly regarded 1930’s text and seduce audiences (regardless of how small). Franco’s artistic prowess is one of a kind and beautiful in many ways. As I Lay Dying is a testament to his creative ability and his ability to manipulate a story in such unique ways.
Comments