“Any Day Now” – Inspired by true events
Posted November 13, 2013 at 7:00 pm
By Danielle Herrmann, ContributorHave you ever had one of those days where there is nothing more appealing than sitting back and watching a good movie? I was recently in this sort of mood myself. And, thankfully, with the aid of that noble boredom-vanquisher, Netflix, I was able to find a film that did so much more than merely entertain.
Any Day Now, a 2012 filminspired by true events, tells the story of a gay couple who is fighting to keep custody of a boy with Down syndrome in the 1970s.
Rudy Donatello (Alan Cumming) is an eccentric drag performer, who one night discovers that a drug-addicted neighbor has been arrested, leaving her handicapped son, Marco (Isaac Leyva), abandoned. Fearing that the boy will be taken by family services–and ultimately institutionalized–Rudy seeks the aid of Paul Fliger (Garret Dillahunt), a closeted district attorney whom he had met the night before. Eventually, with the help of Paul’s legal expertise, Rudy gains the approval of Marco’s mother to look after the boy until she is released.
Together, Rudy and Paul create a positive environment for Marco. Yet, just when it seems the boy has found the loving family he had never before possessed, a biased legal system sunders them apart.
Any Day Now presents a touching, heartbreaking and sometimes humorous portrait of a wholly unconventional family.
With camera work that is often erratic, the film feels something like an intimate home movie…and its characters are presented in an equally believable manner. Alan Cumming shines in his role as a man who is trying his hardest to do what is best for his adopted son. However, perhaps the most impressive performance can be found in Isaac Leyva’s portrayal of Marco. His lines are delivered with quiet honesty, and his smile is truly infectious. Not to mention he proves himself to be an expert disco dancer about midway through!
So if you’re looking for a solid film that explores the concepts of love and loss and family, look no further than Any Day Now.
Bonus viewing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWTHjnoFwks — interview with Isaac Leyva (the actor who portrayed Marco in the film).
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