ReelBob: 'Guest Artist' ★★★½

By Bob Bloom

“Guest Artist” may only be 75 minutes, but, overall, it feels much longer.

The story of a washed-up alcoholic playwright and his self-proclaimed “No. 1” fan is set mostly in a train station in the small town of Lima, Michigan.

Jeff Daniels stars as Joseph Harris, a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who hasn’t written in years, spending most of his time in a bottle.

To earn some money, he agrees to present a new play in Lima.

Meeting him at the train station is Kenneth Waters (Thomas Macias), the apprentice to the local theater director.

It’s his job to take Harris to a hotel and, in the morning, to the theater.

But Harris refuses to leave the depot, offering to return his advance. He only wants to take a train back to New York.

Most of the movie is confined to the depot’s waiting room, where Harris and Waters go back and forth about playwrighting, the state of the theater, art and the responsibility of the writer.

It’s all rather cliched; nothing that has not been said before.

The movie is based on a play by Daniels, and the film, directed by Timothy Busfield, shows its stage roots by keeping to the one set.

Daniels, looking disheveled and tired, spouts philosophical bromides about a writer’s obligation, audiences and the state of the theater and culture in general.

Macias, as the eager accolade, is a bit buffoonish as his Waters tries to convince Harris to remain in Lima. Macias offers a frantic performance that slowly alters your perception of his character’s personality.

The one-on-ones between Harris and Waters grow a bit stale after a while.

But, a slight shift in tone appears when Harris gets Waters to admit that he has written a play and promises to read it — if the young man will get him a drink.

Later, Harris tells Waters that he hates his play, tells him why and proceeds to explain the process of playwrighting.

What saves “Guest Artist” is its final 10 minutes. Waters, going through Harris’ very heavy luggage, finds a play — the one Harris denied having written.

Without getting specific, Harris’ drama centers on a tragic event. He is conflicted about the piece, feeling guilty about using a tragedy for art and believing others will neither understand nor accept it.

“Guest Artist” is one of those works that would probably be better seen only on stage. The intimacy of the piece is more suited for a theatrical audience than moviegoers.

The crossover to film loses some of the story’s power.

Still, fans of Daniels will appreciate the effort, and it may even inspire some local theatrical groups to present it on their stages.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

GUEST ARTIST 3½ stars out of 5 Not rated, language