Tully

Sometimes everything just works out right. The lead review this week was going to have been devoted to the whacked-out Chuck Barris biopic Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, but a few days ago the opening of the film was moved up to Jan. 24. Then I decided to showcase Roman Polanski"s Holocaust drama, The Pianist, but had to change plans when I couldn"t confirm its opening date. Just as I was wondering if I would be forced to try and squeeze 600-800 words out of Kangaroo Jack, I received a reprieve in the form of a wonderful movie called Tully. Set in Nebraska, Tully is a keenly observed look at contemporary rural life, secrets within a family and the way men interact.

Aside from the parade of girls Tully Jr. sees, the only females involved with the Coates are Earl"s friend Ella Smalley (Julianne Nicholson), recently returned to town after attending college to become a veterinarian, and Claire (Natalie Canerday), who flirts in vain with Tully Sr. when she rings up his groceries every Monday.

The family has its everyday friction - Tully Jr. wants to be more active in running the farm and Earl gets fed up with his brother"s antics - but the household basically runs smoothly. That is, until Tully Sr. receives a letter informing him that he owes $300,000 and, if he doesn"t square things up quickly, will face foreclosure. While trying to sort out this mystery debt, he keeps the threat secret from the boys, who have troubles of their own. Tully Jr. is spending time with Ella, one of the few girls in town who doesn"t find him dreamy, and Earl is more than a little disturbed by this development. Then Tully Jr. intercepts a letter addressed to his father, which he also decides to keep secret.

Secrets are big in this family. No surprise there - these are, after all, American men and, more than anything else, American men want to avoid anything that might stir up emotions. Tully examines the way men deal with secrets, feelings and each other. It does so subtly and tenderly, without ever resorting to clichÈ.

Getting the film festival hit into theaters was tough for first-feature director Hilary Birmingham (she also co-produced the movie and co-wrote the screenplay with Matt Drake, working from the acclaimed Tom McNeal story). In a letter to the press, Birmingham and co-producer Annie Sundberg stated, "We first sold Tully at the Toronto Film Festival in 2000. Since that time, we have painfully witnessed the collapse of two innovative distribution groups, and watched our plans for theatrical release go down with them. We have had our film title changed twice. We have learned the rules of bankruptcy law and copyright securities. And just when we thought we were safe, Jonathan Demme"s new film, The Truth about Charlie, was slated for a fall 2002 release."

The Demme movie forced another title change and, at long last, Tully is making its way across the country a theater at a time. Meanwhile, flicks like Just Married open nationwide on thousands of screens with obscenely large advertising budgets. Sadly, we live in a world where the term "show business" is far more about the business than the show.

Not here, though. Tully ambles along, deliberate without ever becoming dull, lingering over the details of relationships. It reminds us that there are many stories to tell outside the big city settings employed by virtually everybody. The cast is quite strong, adding the nuance that makes their characters people rather than types. The three male leads are terrific, but it"s the women that really stand out. Catherine Kellner is memorable as Tully Jr. conquest April Reece, an acid-tongued stripper with a knack for making extremely precise observations. Natalie Canerday is charming as Claire the flirt, but Julianne Nicholson makes the biggest impression as the wary Ella. Fresh and wise, Nicholson does all the right things with her character.

Right after watching Tully, I sat back down and watched it again, something I hardly ever do. Give this film a chance. It is a small treasure deserving of your time.