Melvin and Howard

Directed by Jonathan Demme, Melvin and Howard follows Paul Le Mat’s Melvin Dummar as he goes about his day-to-day life after unwittingly helping Howard Hughes (Jason Robards) one fateful evening. Filmmaker Demme, working from Bo Goldman’s screenplay, kicks Melvin and Howard off with a striking, engrossing opening stretch detailing the encounter between the title figures, with the movie, beyond that point, seguing into a narrative that’s focused entirely on the exploits of Le Mat’s downtrodden character – which, though initially a little jarring, ensures that the picture generally comes off as a compelling slice-of-life drama populated by a whole raft of appealing, intriguing supporting characters. (Mary Steenburgen, cast as Dummar’s on-again-off-again love interest, delivers a completely captivating performance that remains a highlight within the proceedings, to be sure.) The episodic atmosphere paves the way for a somewhat hit-and-miss midsection that’s admittedly alleviated by Demme’s striking visuals and a smattering of standout sequences (eg Steenburgen’s character appears on a local game show), while the comparatively eventful (and intense) third act ensures that the film concludes on a positive, memorable note – with the end result a strong (if rather erratic) effort from a consistently reliable moviemaker.

*** out of ****