Local Area Network
This Chicago indie is an authentic, emotionally centered look at mental illness, as college pals reconnect a decade down the road to draw a circle of support around one of their own.
I’m not a mental health clinician, but I work for an organization that has been doing that for 60 years, so I hope I have better touch points with mental illness than most people. I’ve spent hundreds of hours in facilities for those with serious diagnoses, addiction and so forth. I even minored in psychology back in college.
And as a film critic, I’ve seen tons of movies that include portraits of mental illness. Marrying those two experiences, I can tell you cinematic depictions of these challenges are generally pretty terrible. Predictably, they go for the most dramatic stuff, characters who are twitchy and hallucinatory.
The truth is most mental illness happens very quietly and goes unseen.
So I was warmed by the experience of watching “Local Area Network,” a new indie filmed in the Chicago area that provides a truly authentic, emotionally centered look at mental illness, as college pals reconnect a decade or so down the road to draw a circle of support around one of their own.
It’s a very small, low-budget film that you can currently rent or buy on Amazon Prime, but it’s well worth your time.
It’s got a terrific cast of actors you’ve probably never heard of giving deeply invested performances in characters that feel like people you could actually run into. Written and directed by Glenn Garrabrant, helming his second feature film, it’s a mature work that boasts plenty of heart and humor in addition to the serious subject matter.
At the center of the story but not dominating it is Paul (Michael Farca), who is in the latter stages of treatment at an area inpatient mental health facility. Meaning he stays there during treatment and has supervised visits and trips outside. We soon learn that he went through a terrible divorce from Erica (Molly Hodge), spiraled downward and attempted suicide a couple of times.
Firmly in his corner is his best friend, Sam (Jeff A. Smith), a rock-steady sort who just refuses to give up on other people. He’s married and about to welcome his first child with Jackie (Ilsa K. Morales), but has investigated a great deal of time and effort in helping Paul get well.
Geeks who grew up playing video games and Dungeons & Dragons — my tribe — they spend Paul’s day out revisiting old haunts like the arcade, favorite diner and comic book store. The latter is run by Therese (Katherine Bellantone), part of their friend group back in the day, with her slightly younger co-worker Nia (Olivia Hyzy) getting drafted along.
They also seek out George (Charlie Bain), who was best buds with Paul and Sam when they were all kids, and is now facing his own challenges with failing vision that has forced him to move back in with his mom. They reconnect by playing games on a local area network (LAN) using now-ancient computers, just like that did in the early Aughts.
There’s an additional purpose for this setup: Paul has become dangerously obsessed with always being online, using social media and such to cyberstalk Erica. Apparently she left him for another guy, and he can’t get over his jealousy and rage. So part of his treatment includes a ban on smartphones or Internet.
Additionally, the medication he takes leaves him without an appetite or energy, and he constantly worries that he’s letting his friends down.
The film hits an emotional crescendo where Paul breaks down during a gaming session, his depression and embarrassment spilling out in waves of raw emotion. “I can’t stand for you guys to see me like this,” he sobs. Rather than being put off, they literally wrap him in an embrace of pure love.
It’s a beautiful moment, perfectly encapsulating the true meaning of friendship.
Things go from there, which I’ll leave you to discover. What struck me is that this is a very accurate portrayal of mental illness, including slip-backs and screw-ups. At times, even the saintly Sam’s patience is tested.
I’m glad I caught up with “Local Area Network.” It’s exactly the sort of sensitive, smart filmmaking that makes me appreciate indies so much. After you’ve had a chance to enjoy the latest summer movie spectacle, slow down and switch gears for something tidy and true.