FNC review: Jim Cummings’ Thunder Road is one of the best films of the year

Jim Cummings’ deeply awkward Thunder Road opens with an extended funeral scene, an update on his 2016 short film of the same name. Texas policeman Jimmy Arnaud (Cummings) is speaking at the funeral of his mother, and explains how she used to sing him Bruce Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” when he was young, the Boss’ inspiring song about breaking free from a small town and chasing your dreams. Jimmy is struggling, and his assured posture begins deteriorating throughout his rambling speech. He fiddles with a children’s boom box trying to play the song, which he never gets to work (also convenient for rights issues). He mentions he’s dyslexic, and eventually ends his speech with a tear-soaked interpretative dance to the song that’s only playing in his head. It’s an audacious opening to the film, and says more about Jimmy’s back story than most feature-length films would be able to cover.

It takes some time to settle into Thunder Road‘s unique tone. Many have classified the film as a comedy, and while there are indeed some genuine laugh out loud moments, Jimmy is a tragic character in many ways. He’s in hostile divorce proceedings with his ex-wife Roz (Jocelyn DeBoer), and battling for joint custody of their young daughter Crystal (Kendal Farr), who would clearly rather be with her mother. Jimmy does his best to put on a calm facade for everyone, including his supporting partner (Nican Robinson), but it’s clear he’s on the verge of losing it. He breaks out into fits of rage, including at his boss, who insists he take time off to deal with his mother’s death.

Some will likely find it difficult to dredge up too much sympathy for Jimmy —  you get the feeling he has brought many of these problems upon himself. His dyslexia is never really focused on (except for a standout scene with his daughter), but it’s clear that there is something else going on with Jimmy, some dangerous anger issues (or something deeper) that are contributing to his downward spiral. Jimmy is trying to live up to an ideal of who he should be — a tough but fair cop, a supporting partner and father — but he keeps falling short, letting himself and his loved ones down in the process. It’s heartbreaking to watch, but Cummings embodies the character with enough warmth and goodwill that you wind up rooting for him, even during his most explosive moments.

The film really rests on Cummings’ shoulders, and he gives one of the most memorable performances of the year as Jimmy, running the gamut from moving, melodramatic moments to hilarious, Larry David-esque scenes of cringe-worthy comedy. It’s a moving character study about an extremely complicated figure, which only makes him seem that much more human.

Thunder Road tackles many familiar tropes, from the dangers of toxic masculinity to the effects of untreated mental illness, but Cummings’ stellar performance and the film’s unsettling tone make for one of the most singular viewing experiences of the year.

Thunder Road screens at Cinema du Parc on Saturday, October 13th at 8:00 pm as part of FNC. Tickets are available here.