'Mass' Review: Fran Kranz Delivers A Remarkable, Yet Devastating Debut As Grief-Stricken Parents Attempt To Move Forward

Arlington TX

17 October, 2021

1:17 PM

Description

By Joe Friar, Fort Worth Report October 16, 2021 Watching Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, and Martha Plimpton is on par with taking a masterclass on acting as the four actors deliver unforgettable performances that highlight the complexity of human behavior. A school shooting draws two sets of devastated parents together to work out feelings of grief, anger, and accountability. The term "closure" feels extraneous in this situation as the gripping film elicits empathy for both couples as the church setting becomes the ideal vantage point. Never once does "Mass" give the impression that you are watching a staged play despite the one-room setting and small cast. There is no time to process incidental details as you hang on to every word delivered by the four actors as a barrage of emotions fills the screen. In the back room of a modest Episcopal church, Gail (Martha Plimpton) and her husband Jay (Jason Isaacs) meet with Linda (Ann Dowd) and Richard (Reed Birney), all grieving parents who lost a son in a school shooting. Their ordeals however are dissimilar. At first, their exchanges are civil. Jay begins with an assertive, "Thank you for agreeing to meet us" prompting Linda to respond cautiously, "Your welcome." There are awkward moments of silence as the four adults sit at a small round table not sure how to proceed knowing the atmosphere could turn volatile. Both parties are aware of the meeting's delicate nature, six years in the making, which has been made possible by the length of time that has passed since the tragedy. Even so, the scars remain as if the event happened yesterday. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.