Peter Farrelly has always had a soft spot for stories of people with disabilities. Indeed, much of his filmography is littered with examples There’s Something About Mary, Kingpin, Me, Myself & Irene, and Stuck on You. In 2018, when Alexander Yellen first presented his short version of Daruma, you can bet your bottom dollar that Peter Farrelly was instantly intrigued.
Daruma is the tale of Patrick (Tobias Forrest). A day drinking, stripper supporting sleazebag Patrick is also a wheelchair bound veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Severely injured in Fallujah, Patrick spends his days numbing himself with the glory of alcohol. His nights are spent wallowing in his own putrescence at various bars and strip clubs. He is both lonely and miserable; not that he’ll admit it, of course.
One day, Patrick is informed that a woman has died. She has willed him her insurance payouts – 4K a month – provided he takes care of the child he had produced with the deceased. Camilla (Victoria Scott) is a precocious, upbeat, and inquisitive child. She instantly feels affection for her long-absent ‘daddy’, Patrick. Patrick, for his part, works to make his home a decent place to raise a kid. Eventually, it becomes too onerous for a man who’s spent his life shirking responsibility, and Patrick finds himself agreeing to transport young Camilla to her grandparents. As Patrick is without a driver’s license, he must find someone who’ll drive him. Robert (John W. Lawson), his cantankerous older next-door neighbor, is willing, provided Patrick pays for the repairs to Robert’s car and gives him $3,000. Out of options, Patrick agrees. And thus, gentle reader, begins a delightful road trip.
“Out of options, Patrick agrees. And thus, gentle reader, begins a delightful road trip.”
Alexander Yellen Daruma seems to be his calling card that he should be considered a feature film director. While he has certainly directed other forms of media, this is his first feature film credit as director. As a Cinematographer and Director, Yellen does not remake the wheel per se. What he does do is shoot a handsome film and direct his actors to find the deep truths in their performances. Daruma is a thoughtful, elegant, and contemplative story about a truly boorish man who gets a new lease on life.
I very much enjoyed the rest of the cast beyond Forrest and his take on Patrick. Lawson and Scott are wonderful in their roles. Barry Bostwick (!) makes a minor appearance in Act III. Be on the lookout for it. He does a magnificent job.
Ultimately, Daruma is a much-needed film. A film that is gentle and sweet rather than cloying or gross. There are crass moments to be sure, thanks to Patrick’s hedonistic nature. Fortunately, they do not dominate the runtime. This is ultimately the story of a man who learns that you need to grow up and find a purpose, even if that purpose is raising a kid you created from a fling.
Daruma is a very solid first effort from Alexander Yellen and writer Kelli McNeil. I recommend you look for it on streaming if you’re so inclined. You won’t be disappointed.
"…thoughtful, elegant, and contemplative..."
