TIFF Review: Paul Dano & Zooey Deschanel In ‘Gigantic’

What a delightful surprise “Gigantic” turned out to be. The film was full of splendid ambiguities – some that seemed to confuse some audiences afterward – but all of them hallmark of great writing. What a fantastic new voice director Matt Aselton and his writing partner Adam Nagata are. Dano stars as a quiet almost-30 something with an obsession he’s had from early childhood – to adopt a Chinese baby (“He cried on his 8th birthday when we got him a bike instead,” his father, played by an enormously terrific Ed Asner says.) Dano is haunted by a might be real or not dirty homeless man (Zach Galifinakis) who attacks him at random times of the day – and leaves very-real physical bruises and pain. He also works in a warehouse selling mattresses (with his co-worker, the very wry Clarke Peters from “The Wire.”).

Racked with back pains, John Goodman (Playing an amazingly loud and frank rich jackass) comes into the mattress warehouse to purchase a $14,000 super bed and soon ropes Dano into his life. First he sends his daughter named Happy (her nickname, her real name is Harriet) played by Zooey Deschanel to pay for and fetch the bed (or set up those details; they’re affluent, she don’t pay for jack).Soon enough Dano is sucked into delivering the bed and then it’s driving the overbearing Goodman to the chirorpractor for $1,000 dollars because Deschanel doesn’t drive (naturally, these people aren’t used to lifting fingers and working).

Dano is smitten (lord, you can see why) and the two start dating after a quick off hand fuck (“Are you interested in sleeping with me?,” “Uhhh… yes”).

Goodman’s brusque character is so obnoxiously candid and it’s a funny as shit performance. Complications arise as Dano’s application for a Chinese child finally comes in – something he’s been diligently working on for year, and an odd obsession he’s had since childhood – and her fear of commitment and confusion kicks in.

But as much as its a love story, superficially. Its more of a film about family and connections that’s written and directed in a sublimely artful manner that refuses to dumb down or give easy explanations to the audience. Its a bit of a indie quirk fest, but an highly fresh one and one that’s never obnoxious. By the end, we (I) had a grin stretched ear to ear – it was so damn enjoyable, charming, but not light and goofy like some indie quirk extravaganzas. This one had emotional weight to anchor its humorous buoyancy and fanciful air that was never compressed and full of life. Tremendously enjoyable. [A]

Roddy Bottum’s score we’re happy to report was super lovely, and he’s surely going to get noticed after this one. It was also nice to bump in to him randomly at “The Wrestler.”