‘Cinema Verite’ looks at the quintessential American family

The story behind Cinema Verite turns out to be much more interesting than the HBO movie itself. Starring Diane Lane and Tim Robbins as Pat and Bill Loud, America’s first reality television stars, the 90-minute movie is a bird’s-eye view at what happened when PBS decided to film the goings-on of a Santa Barbara family in the early 1970s.

The landmark series, called An American Family, earned harsh criticisms and millions of viewers — not too dissimilar from today’s reality TV programming. The Louds were shocked that their private lives appeared in living rooms across the United States. It showed Lance Loud, Pat and Bill’s eldest son and the first openly gay character on television. It showed the disintegration of the Loud’s own marriage. It showed triumphs and defeats, strengths and weaknesses. American TV viewers, likely watching over the steam of their freshly cooked TV dinners, were not ready for the openness of the family or the mirror that the series held up to our society.

Cinema Verite, broadcast on HBO in 2011 and newly arrived on DVD, features two strong performances from Lane and Robbins. They anchor much of the film, and they balance their performances nicely between reality and fake TV “reality.” These are the early days of reality television, before cameras constantly followed so-called “celebrities” around in their daily life. The Louds, with a definite naiveté, looked into the camera lens, talked to the filmmakers and often broke “character.” They were rough around the edges and that likely added to their appeal.

The problem with the 90-minute film is that the progression of this American family feels stapled together with montage sequences and constantly shifting emotions. When problems arise, a quick conversation is had and then all seems to be well with the world. The only character who feels fully fleshed out is Pat Loud, and that’s mostly because of Lane’s fine portrayal. Almost everyone else becomes a blur, with not enough time spent on the family that’s the main subject of this series.

James Gandolfini offers a nice performance as Craig Gilbert, the producer of An American Family and the man who single-handedly created reality television. It’s a complicated outsider’s role, but the actor plays the part well. He’s obviously smitten with Pat, but tries not to disrupt the family dynamic. In many ways, he’s tasked with the difficult job of creating the rules that will govern reality television in the coming years.

Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, the directors behind American Splendor, cleverly use actual footage of the Loud family side-by-side with the performances by Robbins and Lane. This instantly draws parallels between the original document and the 2011 TV drama, but the comparisons are welcome. From the costumes to the accents to the uneasiness, these assembled actors have completely embodied their respective characters. In some ways, Cinema Verite feels like a practice in impersonation, rather than genuine acting. Much effort is made to recreate the iconic scenes from An American Family, gestures and all.

There are limitations to Cinema Verite’s success, but that’s to be expected. In 1971, the Louds were groundbreaking, new and surprising. Forty years later, they remain a tough act to follow.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Cinema Verite

• TV, 2011

• Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini

• Starring Diane Lane, Tim Robbins and James Gandolfini

• Running time: 90 minutes

• Rating: