As two brothers prepare for a Wake, one brother, credited as Mr. Albini (Dan Berkey), discusses the issues that he has with the other, Tony (Derek Nicoletto). Tony is dead, it’s his wake, and he has no choice but to lie there and listen to what his brother has to say. There’s love in the room, but it’s buried beneath years of pain and suffering. This is Mr. Albini’s chance to clear the air, but expressing the truth always comes with consequences. The two brothers must come to terms with what the other has done–but not everything can be so easily forgiven.
Dialogue is obviously an important part of cinema. That aspect of a film can either make or break it, and there are a number of ways in which dialogue can be developed. The conversation scripted for Wake is unique–certainly not the first of its kind, but unique nonetheless. Mr. Albini and the recently deceased Tony is, in some ways, funny. Viewers see a grown man having a heart-to-heart conversation with someone completely incapable of responding. While it doesn’t feel as if Writer-Director Mark Albini intended for his film to include comedy, it exists regardless–and it plays a pivotal role in the film. Ironically, I just spoke to a student of mine, and I explained, in detail, the inappropriate behaviors that he’s been exhibiting for weeks now. The information that I had to relay to him sounded so ridiculous that I had to hold back laughter–what occurs throughout Wake feels similar to this. Not that my personal conversation truly has any bearing on Wake, but it allowed me to evaluate the situation a little differently–and it provided me with a new appreciation for the film.
As Wake plays out, and Mr. Albini continues to talk to Tony, it dawned on me that there’s a message hiding beneath the surface. In many ways Mr. Albini is an everyman–he’s the person that has wanted to get things off of his chest for years, but either hasn’t had the time or the strength to do so. For Mr. Albini, much like Tony, it’s too late for him to truly express his feelings, because there is no one there to listen. On a small scale, Wake encourages viewers to express themselves as soon as possible–but on a larger scale it’s begging viewers to follow their dreams and do what makes them happy before it’s too late.
The lighting plays a unique role in Wake, as the majority of the film is well lit, and just about everything can be seen. However, there is one transition, as the tone of the film becomes darker than before, when light shines brightly on Berkey’s Mr. Albini, and that casts a shadow behind him. The shadow represents this lingering darkness within the character, and the use of lighting throughout Wake allows these ideas to come to life.
The horror and pain that exists throughout Wake is clear, and Berkey conveys these emotions with great aplomb. However, like everything in life, each person comprehends things differently. I understand the darkness that exists in Wake, but there’s a subtle, but honest level of comedy that transcends the majority of the film as well. There’s a strange (and imbalanced) juxtaposition of tones–and it’s certainly intentionally woven into the narrative in this fashion. It represents the constant imbalance of life, but it also works to allow Wake to remain effectively dark throughout. This is more than a conversation between brothers, it’s an awakening.
Written & Directed by Mark Albini.
Starring Dan Berkey & Derek Nicoletto.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
Comments