Breathing Hard
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Breathing Hard is another film that has not been released for the general public. Thankfully, there is more information about it online than some other titles.
The 2001 film was directed by Eric Neal Young and written by John Rafter Lee, who also appears in the film as the character Duggan. The cast includes June Claman, John Billingsley, Tony Abatemarco, Paul Bates, and many others listed on IMDB. Mr. Von Dohlen's character is named Anton.
Awards, According to IMDb:
Ajijic International Film Festival
Eric Neal Young - Best Feature
Valleyfest Film Festival
Eric Neal Young - Best Feature
Ashland Independent Film Festival
Eric Neal Young - Best Independent Feature
Tambay Film and Video Festival
Eric Neal Young - Best Narrative Feature
Texas Film Festival
2001 Winner Best Narrative Feature
Eric Near Young - John Rafter Lee
Eric Near Young - John Rafter Lee
2001 Audience Choice Award Best Narrative Feature
Eric Near Young - John Rafter Lee
The plot synopsis from IMDb:
A struggling Hollywood writer takes a job as a driver for a cursing, cantankerous old British actress. She believed she has one great role left in her... and decides that it should be in his new play.
A review from IMDb user brittnichols
"Breathing Hard" is a charming film that takes a compassionate look at not only aging, but self-worth and friendship. I heard it once described as "Driving Ms. Daisy" in Los Angeles which is true, but that description leaves out nuances and changes the characters go through as they are touched by the extremely talented June Claman. This is a great movie and definitely worth seeing when you want something with more emotional and intellectual depth than your standard Hollywood fare.
From IMDb user pbet1
Not only great story-telling and the finest acting make this movie totally enjoyable to watch. This is a really unusual, one-of-a-kind and extremely cute Hollywood movie. June Claman should get an Oscar for her performance. Only seldomly, we get to see so much film-making craftsmanship from A-Z in an independent film. Both thumbs up! This little film is the living proof that all the stupid major studio fast-food movies are a waste of silver resources, brain-capacity, time and money. It is wonderful to see that a big budget is not necessarily needed to make a throughout good movie. Imagine, how hilarious and bizarre the entire idea of the crazy Hitler show in the theater is, this is exactly as nuts as the brain-sick Great Dictator was.
From IMDb user SueSueBeo
"There is an old Spanish proverb; 'It is good to have a friend even in Hell". This is quoted in the beginning of this movie, and playing throughout the film is a lovely delicate, Irish flavored piece of music. It is a movie that makes you laugh and think about today's society and how hard it is when your values are more ethereal.
The paradox of being creative and being employed: the dilemma of the thinking artist. John Lee, (Trevor, of Aeon Flux fame) the star of the film, plays Duggan, a playwright, and we watch his struggle to interact with the cold world around him that is so often flimsy of soul which can leave the best of us short of breath.
Duggan, an intelligent, sensitive man, with values out of step with his marriage (wife played by Denise Poirier, who was the voice of Aeon Flux) and his address, Hollywood. Emma, an aging English stage actress, (played by June Claman), and Duggan find their lives intertwined through the necessity of employment. She needs a driver, he needs to pay the rent. It doesn't take long for the cantankerous actress to manage to obtain a role in his play, without his blessing, which she deems a fine work suitable for her talents. As she moves into his world taking over his play, still a fighter of life in her last years, he finds it difficult to cope and turns to sarcastic remarks and sullen behavior.
At this point his marriage dies it's last breath,and he muses, "As ridiculous as it sounds I miss the yelling and the arguing", but the scene you are viewing is one of loving caresses between his best friend Hammond and new girl. The real author of this movie, John Lee, seems to be making his point as to what is really missed when love is over, as one becomes the outsider and observer to love.
Left alone in his world, he turns complete attention to his play. Emma, who entered his life like a hemorrhoid now becomes a friend and peer as they together employ their talents in his play. His life changed forever he takes uncertain steps as he puts the pieces of his life back together, submerged in his work. Friends in the enjoyment of the real craft of the arts, they rise above life's struggle to accomplish a serious work.
It is the story of people, friends and lovers, all living in a complex world that steals from you before giving back. The jokes are honestly funny and the cast is well chosen, and I haven't had such a good time watching a movie in a long time. John Lee's voice is incredible in it's own power to convey emotion and depth. Directed by Eric Neal Young, this movie is perfect in its timing, like a song in which all the notes are correct. I thought this movie was subtle and refreshing.
The paradox of being creative and being employed: the dilemma of the thinking artist. John Lee, (Trevor, of Aeon Flux fame) the star of the film, plays Duggan, a playwright, and we watch his struggle to interact with the cold world around him that is so often flimsy of soul which can leave the best of us short of breath.
Duggan, an intelligent, sensitive man, with values out of step with his marriage (wife played by Denise Poirier, who was the voice of Aeon Flux) and his address, Hollywood. Emma, an aging English stage actress, (played by June Claman), and Duggan find their lives intertwined through the necessity of employment. She needs a driver, he needs to pay the rent. It doesn't take long for the cantankerous actress to manage to obtain a role in his play, without his blessing, which she deems a fine work suitable for her talents. As she moves into his world taking over his play, still a fighter of life in her last years, he finds it difficult to cope and turns to sarcastic remarks and sullen behavior.
At this point his marriage dies it's last breath,and he muses, "As ridiculous as it sounds I miss the yelling and the arguing", but the scene you are viewing is one of loving caresses between his best friend Hammond and new girl. The real author of this movie, John Lee, seems to be making his point as to what is really missed when love is over, as one becomes the outsider and observer to love.
Left alone in his world, he turns complete attention to his play. Emma, who entered his life like a hemorrhoid now becomes a friend and peer as they together employ their talents in his play. His life changed forever he takes uncertain steps as he puts the pieces of his life back together, submerged in his work. Friends in the enjoyment of the real craft of the arts, they rise above life's struggle to accomplish a serious work.
It is the story of people, friends and lovers, all living in a complex world that steals from you before giving back. The jokes are honestly funny and the cast is well chosen, and I haven't had such a good time watching a movie in a long time. John Lee's voice is incredible in it's own power to convey emotion and depth. Directed by Eric Neal Young, this movie is perfect in its timing, like a song in which all the notes are correct. I thought this movie was subtle and refreshing.
Variety Review by David Rooney
A gently amusing comedy about a struggling screenwriter, an equally unfulfilled actor and the imperious British stage actress that sweeps into their lives, “Breathing Hard” is palatable enough but lacks the sharp writing, snappy rhythm and charismatic cast to leave much of an aftertaste. Competently directed by Eric Neal Young, the film displays no particular feel for its environment, making it a pallid account of trying to make it in Hollywood. As a story of unconventional friendship that yields surprising rewards it fares better, suggesting possible cable exposure.
A playwright lucklessly shopping an IRA script around town, John Duggan (John Rafter Lee, who also scripted) throws himself into the staging of his Third Reich opus, “Hitler’s Head,” the production of which may have been funded with laundered drug money. Unable to land an acting gig, his buddy, also named John (John Billingsley), takes work at a psychic hotline and chauffeuring former theater diva Emma (June Claman), a job he eventually shares with Duggan. When racist, intolerant Emma hears of his play, she insists on a role for herself and is soon rewriting large chunks of it.
This key relationship is satisfyingly developed, with the friction sparked by Duggan’s resentment and Emma’s disdainful superiority gradually tempered into a middle ground of mutual esteem and affection. The drug subplot adds little to the mix, and far too much attention is given to Duggan’s play, several excerpts from which are seen, showing no evidence to support its supposed success. But the seriocomedy displays a genuine warmth for its characters, which goes some way toward softening its limitations.
From Film Threat,
TEXAS FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW! Struggling writer John Duggan (screenwriter John Rafter Lee) and struggling actor John Hammond (John Billingsley) are best friends. That’s how the latter can get away with referring to the former’s screenwriting opus, an intensely personal script about the IRA, as “that potato movie.” It’s also how the latter knows he can trust the former to take his place at one of his part time jobs, driving the feisty retired theater actress Emma (June Claman) around town and helping her on a series of errands.
Mere tolerance devolves into irritation and disdain, then mutates again into a very grudging respect, admiration and finally even affection as Duggan and Emma get to know each other better. She might be a cantankerous British snob, but, like the English teacher everyone in high school loves to hate, she has her winning moments as well. She’s also suffering from emphysema, breathing with the help of an oxygen mask at home, although she’s far too proud to show her suffering in public. Even so, she’s determined to land one final role before her final curtain call; a tour de force performance in J. Duggan’s outrageous, possibly mob-funded satirical play “Hitler’s Head.”
Two warning flags pop up when considering director Eric Neal Young’s film: the lead character is a screenwriter and the obvious surface similarities to “Driving Miss Daisy.” Ignore them both. The tired screenwriting angle here, while prominent, isn’t too overbearing. For that matter, the same goes with the cliche of J. Hammond being an actor. These occupations somehow just seem to fit their characters. As for the Miss Daisy parallels, this script is based on actual events, writer Lee sharing similar experiences with a woman much like Emma, making such Miss Daisy similarities much easier to swallow.
Besides, this film is way too much fun in general and has too much other stuff going on to worry about these things. Watching Emma worm her way into J. Duggan’s play, for instance, is a hoot, while the subplot involving the Feds staking out J. Hammond’s bizarre talent agent as a suspected drug smuggler, ensnaring J. Duggan and Emma in the process, is a deliciously silly diversion. Finally, there’s the relationships in which the two Johns find themselves embroiled; romances heading in directions as opposite as their respective principles.
“Breathing Hard” is a well-crafted and enjoyable film; a sweet movie with just a little bit of a mean streak…which, in a way, perfectly describes its gracefully aging heroine.
Mere tolerance devolves into irritation and disdain, then mutates again into a very grudging respect, admiration and finally even affection as Duggan and Emma get to know each other better. She might be a cantankerous British snob, but, like the English teacher everyone in high school loves to hate, she has her winning moments as well. She’s also suffering from emphysema, breathing with the help of an oxygen mask at home, although she’s far too proud to show her suffering in public. Even so, she’s determined to land one final role before her final curtain call; a tour de force performance in J. Duggan’s outrageous, possibly mob-funded satirical play “Hitler’s Head.”
Two warning flags pop up when considering director Eric Neal Young’s film: the lead character is a screenwriter and the obvious surface similarities to “Driving Miss Daisy.” Ignore them both. The tired screenwriting angle here, while prominent, isn’t too overbearing. For that matter, the same goes with the cliche of J. Hammond being an actor. These occupations somehow just seem to fit their characters. As for the Miss Daisy parallels, this script is based on actual events, writer Lee sharing similar experiences with a woman much like Emma, making such Miss Daisy similarities much easier to swallow.
Besides, this film is way too much fun in general and has too much other stuff going on to worry about these things. Watching Emma worm her way into J. Duggan’s play, for instance, is a hoot, while the subplot involving the Feds staking out J. Hammond’s bizarre talent agent as a suspected drug smuggler, ensnaring J. Duggan and Emma in the process, is a deliciously silly diversion. Finally, there’s the relationships in which the two Johns find themselves embroiled; romances heading in directions as opposite as their respective principles.
“Breathing Hard” is a well-crafted and enjoyable film; a sweet movie with just a little bit of a mean streak…which, in a way, perfectly describes its gracefully aging heroine.
Photos from IMDb
Costumer Maggie Morgan shared images on their site as well.
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