By Caitlin Maloney

“Man in the Chair” is about Cameron Kincaid’s (Michael Angarano) struggle to compete in a student film competition and of all the things he learns along the way. As a movie buff and aspiring filmmaker, the teenage boy is an outcast in a school filled with the over-privileged children of Hollywood.

When the opportunity arises to participate in a short film contest and potentially win a scholarship, Kincaid jumps at it. However, his creativity and ingenuity are no match for classmate Brett Raven’s (Taber Schroeder) big-time budget and resources.

While viewing an old film, he notices an elderly man (Christopher Plummer) yelling at his former friends on the screen, and he seems to know a thing or two about the film business. After much cajoling, the old man reveals himself to be Flash Madden, once a lighting man during the Golden Age of Hollywood. After several cigars, some liquor and much persuasion, Madden agrees to help Kincaid make his film, and bring him into the world of Hollywood’s old and forgotten.

Madden introduces his troubled new protégé to his former friends, many of whom were once Hollywood’s finest, now living neglected in the poorest of conditions. In his new screenwriter Mickey Hopkins (M. Emmet Walsh), Kincaid finds the story for his film.

Kincaid sets out to expose the overlooked issue of mistreatment of the elderly, pulling in Madden, Hopkins and assorted former members of the cinematic community. The journey teaches Kincaid and his family a few lessons about appreciating those around them and reaching for their dreams, no matter how farfetched.

Kincaid, however, is not the only person to learn from the experience. Madden has become a bitter and lonely alcoholic after being rejected from Hollywood for the newer, fresher generation. He has driven himself into solitude and independence, rejecting affection and concern from anyone who dares to care about him. Reaching out and eventually growing to love Kincaid forces Madden to see the value in the company of others and teaches him what it is to truly live.

The film gradually reveals the troubles that plague both Madden and Kincaid, and brilliantly brings them to greater understanding. The hodgepodge of issues faced by the movie’s surplus of intricate characters will allow viewers to find a little piece of themselves somewhere in the story, and allow them to come away with a brighter view of their own lives. As each character faces down their personal demons, the audience is taught how to deal with their own fears and how to appreciate their loved ones.

A warm coming-of-age drama with a dark edge, “Man in the Chair” is reminiscent of movies such as “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Rocket Science,” a comedy with good morals, but not without sardonic moments and a poignant analysis of society. Laced with brilliant moments of irony, such as a shot of Madden vandalizing a police car as though he was 16, “Man in the Chair” is a character-driven film as opposed to the usual special effects ridden blockbuster. Fans of big-budget action-adventure movies may find themselves bored in a film that is based in dialogue, abnormal shot sequences and artistic character development. However a person who enjoys a well-developed story-line that is intricate in its exploration of the issues everyone faces as they grow old, will love “Man in the Chair.” With its tragic insight into America’s treatment of the elderly and its lessons about being young and being old, “Man in the Chair” is worth seeing.

Christopher Plummer plays Flash Madden, an embittered old cinematographer who is befriended by a young filmmaker and in the process, both teaches and learns a few things. (emol.org)