Breakfast on Pluto

Adapted for the screen and directed by Neil Jordan, "Breakfast on Pluto," based on the novel by Patrick McCabe, is the story of Patrick "Kitten" Braden, a gay Candide, off on a kaleidoscopic journey of self discovery. As you'd expect from the creators of "The Butcher Boy," this is a strange little film, episodic to the extreme, with a surreal quality and a unique kinetic energy.

Left on the doorstep of a parish priest in a small Irish village, our kitten is placed in the home of a lady shopkeeper who hasn't the ability to cope with, let alone nurture, a cross-dressing boy all to quickly developing into a flamboyantly gay man. One confrontation too many and our kitten hits the road in search of love and the mother who abandoned him. His resulting adventures include professional and romantic entanglements, prostitution, mistaken identity, false imprisonment, attempted murder and, most poignantly, a happy ending.

As Kitten, Cillian Murphy is a revelation. I've seen a number of straight actors play gay transvestites and have rarely been impressed, feeling most fail to connect or communicate any of the inner juice of their characters, delivering performances that are hollow and false. Murphy, star of Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later," nails it. He rises to the challenges and demands of his role, bringing Patrick Braden to life in all his ambiguous glory. Liam Neeson and Stephen Rea, both Jordan regulars, standout among the supporting players, each quietly affecting in rather tricky roles.

Neil Jordan has been making emotionally charged, character driven dramas for more than twenty years. Along with "Mona Lisa," "The Butcher Boy," "The End of the Affair" and the Oscar winning "The Crying Game," "Breakfast on Pluto" ranks among this great filmmaker's very best efforts. Bravo.

Breakfast on Pluto has two slight strikes against it that make it easy to overlook. First, despite many differences it immediately recalls Neil Jordan's earlier Crying Game in its subject matter and IRA-struggles context. Second, there are at least two higher profile gay and/or gender bending-themed movies around this season. But this film stands strongly on its own merits. Cillian Murphy (last seen in the 180 degree different Red Eye) plays Kitten Braden, a boy who wants (and largely succeeds) to be a girl, who wants to find his Phantom Lady mother who abandoned him as a baby, and who wants to live happily in a world that is entirely too -- in his/her words -- "serious, serious." The foundling journey tale is at least as old as Tom Jones and Kitten's particular one includes wrenching moments of cruelty and violence perpetrated on him, some witnessed violence against the IRA backdrop, emotional pain, unexpected kindnesses from unexpected sources, and, finally, a certain peace, happiness and reward. Some of Kitten's life chapters, as the movie constructs them, feel overdone or superflous about a third of the way through the film, but it steadily gathers power and depth, while always retaining its light touch, right to the end and its reference to Oscar Wilde. Throughout, Murphy is pitch perfect, every inch a Kitten, but never entirely losing his maleness. It is acting at its best. Stephen Rea is excellent as the magician who befriends, loves, but also exploits Kitten. Ditto for Liam Neeson as a priest. Humane, knowing and triumphant, Breakfast on Pluto and Kitten Braden are as real a story as you will see in movies this or any year.

I had looked forward to seeing "Breakfast on Pluto" after missing its theatrical run. Neil Jordan is a filmmaker that I admire. Perhaps best known for "The Crying Game" and "Interview With A Vampire," he also helmed one of my favorites--the overlooked "Mona Lisa." I have, likewise, been intrigued by Cillian Murphy. He's an interesting actor and I had hoped this would give him the opportunity to shine. But much to my disappointment, I didn't connect with "Breakfast on Pluto." While it had the potential to be a great film, Murphy's character (based on real life transvestite Patrick "Kitten" Braden) is so superficially drawn--it's hard to muster much interest in her self-involved lifestyle.

Before I get any hate mail, yes--I understood the character and the film. Kitten refuses to see reality for what it is and oftentimes exists solely in the fantasy of her mind. The surreal quality of the film and the hyperdramatic Kitten are supposed to reflect a parallel universe to the classic love films that she wants the world to be like. I think that's a perfectly acceptable narrative device. But the movie touches on every subject from Catholicism, the IRA, terrorism, prostitution, prejudice, abortion--and yet manages not to involve us in any of it. Why? Because the world through Kitten's eyes doesn't allow it. That's fine, too--if Kitten were someone I wanted to go on a journey with. But, sadly, she's not. It's not Murphy's fault--he's fine. The screenplay doesn't let us see any texture to Kitten. Many times as she is set up to be the victim of a scene, she has either been so rude, delusional, or downright idiotic--I just couldn't generate any sympathy for her.

She has some childhood friends who we follow periodically, but they are so sketchily drawn--they barely register. Kitten's main quest is to find the mother who has abandoned her. But again--as her friends and country are being torn apart, her interests are always self-motivated. There are bigger issues in the world that Kitten falling in love at first sight. And boy, do the guys flock to her. With her sing-songy voice and ridiculous love talk (on first meeting), I would have run from the madwoman. But somehow, it's meant to be enchanting. I know, some of you will contend--"But, she's a real person." OK, then I didn't like her in the film's portrayal.

The film covers everything, but strangely nothing at all. Maybe the problem was too much content--it needed to focus on a smaller scale and really develop the characters. Even the significant moments of Kitten's life are seemingly glossed over. Even though she walks the streets, gets picked up by strange men, works in a prostitution house--she never has sex. It's all so vague, so surface. With nothing to hold on to--I just let go. At the center of "Breakfast" is an emotional void. The film does have a fun and funky soundtrack which was my favorite thing in the movie. But overall, I was left flat and uncaring about Kitten and her story.

A big disappointment from a talented team--the fact that I didn't like "Breakfast on Pluto" couldn't have surprised me more. KGHarris, 12/06.

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