We first meet the title character of Lou Howe's Gabriel, played by Rory Culkin, as he attempts to play with a child sitting one row ahead of him on a bus. There's a naive innocence to the way he coaxes the child to pay attention to him, along with some irresponsibility. But he seems harmless, even as he uses profanity when the child's mother intervenes. Something is not quite right about Gabriel, but that doesn't keep us from being immediately drawn to him. Gabriel is about a journey of sorts. The character, who prefers to be called Gabe, is looking for a former girlfriend whose love he is convinced will make his life complete. It might be easier to get there too, if it wasn't for his family. There are clues that he recently got out of an institution and since then, his brother (David Call) and long suffering mother (Deirdre O'Connell) have been attempting to keep him grounded. Easier said than done, since Gabe is on a mission, one that will include stops to places familiar from his past.
Howe shoots the movie with a remarkable amount of subtlety, something we're not used to when dealing with this subject matter. He strongly conveys how trapped Gabe is by showing a reflection of tree branches over his face, or darkness enveloping him as he escapes from a house through a window. Howe, in his feature debut, proves to be a natural born filmmaker, treating the material as if it's fresh and new. Two scenes that go straight to the core: one involves Gabe visiting a favorite diner, the other captures the family as they prepare to have pancakes following an awkward encounter. As closely observant as Howe is, none of the moments would ring as authentically as they do without the performances, particularly Culkin's. He's in every scene, and is never short of mesmerizing. Your heart slowly breaks as he drifts through this wicked world, a lost soul searching for the only thing that can truly cure him: love. Gabe's family loves him, but show it through acts of entrapment and belittlement. We can makes guesses as to what the outcome of Gabriel will be, and while I had a pretty good idea, I wasn't prepared for its emotional punch. I love this movie, and the unforgettable character Howe and Culkin have shared with me.
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(C) Hell and Beyond, 2014
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