September 12, 2002

The Secret Lives of Dentists
Rated NYR

Alan Rudolph’s The Secret Lives of Dentists was a wonderful surprise.  Rudolph’s career has been a rollercoaster ride, but Secret Lives is the film in which Rudolph seems to finally emerge from the shadows of Altman and into his own light as a filmmaker.  Gone are so many of the telltale signs of flattering imitation.  Instead, Rudolph takes his various brush strokes and gives them their own space.  Secret Lives is the cleanest Rudolph film that I can recall, yet it remains as emotionally complex, intellectually layered, and as freeing for the actors as the best of his previous work.

The film stars Campbell Scott and Hope Davis as a married couple who share dentistry,  three daughters and something unhappy lying just under the surface of their marriage.  This is much the same territory, though not tonally, of last year’s Toronto fest film, Novocaine… only this time it is not only far better, but excellent above and beyond that comparison.

Like so much of Rudolph’s work, this film is about the deepest feelings and people who can’t seem to speak their feelings out loud, even to the closest people in their lives.  But it’s a lot more fun than that makes it sound.  Campbell Scott gives his second great performance of this festival – the first being the Academy Award Nomination-worthy lead of Roger Dodger.  Hope Davis is exceptional as the wife.  The child actresses do well.  And the supporting performances of Denis Leary and Robin Tunney shine.

As of this report, the film hasn’t been picked up, which I can’t quite understand.  It seems to me that this is one of the most commercial, truly “indie” films here at the festival.  Yes, there are no openers in the cast.  But it’s a great word-of-mouth film and it will grow if handled well… even if it tops out at $14 million domestic.  Heck, if The Three Marias can get distribution, this film screams for distribution.