A Boy Called Sailboat

Sailboat is young enough to understand the change in his father’s demeanor but not to comprehend why the change takes place entirely. Thus, his descriptions of events are relevant to his frame of reference. Sailboat, unable to recall, or perhaps too young to know the word wig, talks about how Mr. Bing “removed his hair” after hearing the song. It is adorable, sweet, and highlights remarkably well how children interpret the world around them.

“Sailboat reaches deep within himself and finds the perfect song…it moves everyone to their very core.”

The dialogue is also stellar, reminding me a lot of a Diablo Cody picture; and not just because the two films share a star. Throughout her work, Cody writes dialogue that sounds honest to the situations and characters at hand, yet never quite like things people actually say to each other. It is more of an impression of how one wishes they could phrase things if in these same situations. Nugent employs a similar use of heightened speech to invoke the reality the film takes place. The style of speech allows for instant familiarity and also for some rather memorable lines that will stick with you after the movie ends.

Also on display is a keen understanding of human connectivity, shown off beautifully by José and Meyo. The audience can tell how much in love these two are by just watching how they interact. Whether it’s the husband slapping his wife’s bottom in a sweet, frisky way or how happy her cooking makes him, it adds to the warm, pleasant atmosphere that permeates every enchanting second of A Boy Called Sailboat. There hasn’t been a couple this happily married at the start of a movie since Gomez and Morticia made their big screen debuts.

Nugent is quite the talent, as he proves an excellent director as well as a talented screenwriter. Old memories of Sailboat are represented via silent movie footage of his family members (or whoever may be the focal point of the thought), which is a fun little touch which creates a more visually robust watch. He also manages to balance tone remarkably well, showcased by an entertaining sequence when the audience discovers that the pest control in this region is not as expected. The family finds a hive of wood ants is eating the plank propping house up. They call pest control and the man comes rather quickly and sells them a lizard. Yes, a lizard guaranteed to eat ants.