Behemoth!

Finding the happiness we seek in life can be elusive and challenging. Just ask Alex Serian (Pedro Pascal). The native Angelino – an acclaimed cellist who was once a child prodigy – has recently moved back to Los Angeles to care for his ailing mother, Ginnie (JoBeth Williams), after orchestral stints in Chicago, Boston and Dallas. To support himself in this new venture, he’s taken a job as a member of an orchestra that records background scores for movies. But this stop on his odyssey is about more than just that: It provides him an opportunity to reflect on his past experiences, to reconnect with family members like his gregarious but untrustworthy brother, Andy (Will Arnett), and to attempt to reconcile feelings about his late, demanding father, Peter (Hank Azaria). In making these assessments, though (told through flashbacks), Alex finds that much of his life has been inherently disappointing – unsatisfying relations with relatives, failed relationships with three previous love interests (Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, Margarita Levieva), physical injuries to person and property, and generally unhappy memories. These ongoing setbacks have consequently left him with a chronic case of decision paralysis, a condition that prevents him from making any deliberate moves except when backed against the wall, with most of his subsequent choices leading to only more disappointment. So is there anything that gives him fulfillment and enjoyment? Well, there’s his music, which is a great source of joy and has enabled him to become a mentor to a talented young fellow cellist, Bronte (Kaya Ralls), and his inexplicable fascination with the works of a prodigal teenage composer, Viviana (Alexa Swinton), with whom he shares a mysterious but undeniable connection. But are those ties enough for Alex to usher true satisfaction into his life? This latest offering from writer-director Tony Gilroy follows the protagonist on his journey as he searches for meaning and contentment, and each episode he experiences – in present time and through the flashbacks – is arguably engaging enough to make for a full-fledged movie in itself. What’s disappointing, however, is Alex’s reaction to them: It’s difficult to distinguish when he’s disillusioned and when he’s mesmerized by what’s transpiring, almost as if he’s a somewhat indifferent observer and not fully engaged in the actions going on around him. This is not to fault Pascal’s performance, as it seems this is more likely attributable to the way his character was written (one of several issues associated with the script) or how the actor was directed to play the part. In fact, comparatively speaking, the supporting players generally have more complete and clearer character development behind their personas than that of the protagonist, especially as seen in the portrayals by Wilde, Victor, Arnett and Azaria. High praise also goes to the picture’s score, particularly in the orchestral recording sessions, where the music uncannily parallels the events in the fictitious movie for which it’s been written and the events that are playing out in Alex’s life, a nifty accomplishment indeed. While “Behemoth!” presents viewers with a unique, fresh story concept, it’s unfortunate that it only partly gets things right. Perhaps further revisions in the screenplay, editing and character development would have helped to make a better finished product, though, given the nature of this project, that might have ironically made for a monstrous undertaking in itself. In the end, maybe the most important takeaway we should get out of the movie is to look for what truly makes us happy and run with it before life escapes us.