"Any Day Now" was clearly a labor of love. Though the budget is low, there's considerable star power: Alan Cumming has a leading role, and several well-known character actors cameo. Also, Rufus Wainwright contributed an original song. Big-ish names aside, "Any Day Now" mostly works, edging toward subtle and away from straight-up manipulative, with a heartbreaking story that speaks for itself.
The opening shot of young Marco (Isaac Leyva) slowly navigating abandoned streets while clutching a blonde-haired doll is enough to inspire a lump in the throat and provides an interesting contrast to the opening scene, in which drag queen Rudy (Cumming) meets divorced lawyer Paul (Garret Dillahunt) at a gay club. Two days later, a family is formed when Rudy seeks temporary custody of Marco from the teenager's jailed junkie mother and Paul offers them a place to stay. Marco has many challenges, including severe mental handicaps made worse by neglect, but thrives under the couple's care until a series of events outs Paul at work and puts Rudy's custody in jeopardy.
Besides the custody issue, "Any Day Now" also focuses on Rudy and Paul's relationship. It begins on a sordid note (a sexual act in the club parking lot) and moves with the speed of light while deepening into love. However, for an entire year, Paul refers to Rudy in public as his cousin.
Dillahunt and Cumming create believable chemistry, and the couple's many conflicts are realistically handled without getting overdramatic or maudlin. Leyva gives Marco a sweet, subtle presence, and director Travis Fine doesn't exploit the handicapped character. In one of the film's most heartrending moments, Marco looks around his new room and becomes overwhelmed with emotion. "I'm just excited," he mutters as Rudy puts his arm around the teenager and quietly replies, "It's good to be excited."
Fine's melancholy piano score edges toward the manipulative a couple of times, but that's really "Any Day Now's" most overblown aspect. Even the courtroom scenes are small and sparse, sans yelling reporters or bombastic words. Cumming's gorgeous voice and charismatic stage presence is put to good use, both in the drag club scenes and later when Rudy scores a singing gig. His cover of Bob Dylan and The Band's "I Shall Be Released" (from which the film gets its title) is simple and haunting.
Anyone who's had any contact with the United States child welfare system will attest to its problems. "Any Day Now" takes place almost four decades ago but feels very timely in a contemporary society where the child's welfare is often not prioritized and the LGBT community is still oppressed. This story is a sad one but hopefully, not too far down the road, we all shall be released.
Special features include a making-of featurette and Isaac Leyva's audition.
Film: 4 Yaps Extras: 2 Yaps
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ghwGOuuNy0&w=514&h=315]