It’s hard to talk about authorial intent in “Margaret” when the studio interference on the project was so insane. Long story short for those who don’t know: the movie was supposed to be released in 2007, but Kenneth Lonergan failed to lock in a cut to Fox Searchlight’s satisfaction. Ultimately, they quietly dumped a version of “Margaret” into the theaters that was much shorter that Lonergan would have liked.
And indeed, what I saw in the theatrical cut (sorry, folks, did not drop the money to watch the director’s cut) was a little messy. But for whatever reason, that didn’t bother me. I was along for the ride with “Margaret” the whole way through, drawn in to the story by its imperfections.
There’s something very fascinating about knowing that a movie’s flaws are not something invented in your head. And in such a realization, you can start to find the diamond in the rough by peeling away the layers of sloppiness you observe. “Margaret” in its very journey to the screen is not about the drudgery of life but rather the painful process of art. There’s a little bit of magic in getting to find your “Margaret” inside of what Fox Searchlight and Lonergan slapped together for us to avoid litigation.
My “Margaret” is a compelling drama of post-9/11 guilt and anger unfolding in New York City, told from the perspective of an ordinary girl, Anna Paquin’s Margaret. On just any old day walking, she observes the death of innocence at the hands of a vast piece of machinery. No, I’m not talking about the planes flying into the World Trade Center; I’m talking about a sweet old lady being struck and killed by a bus.
I don’t want to overload the allegory, though, but it’s impossible not to feel the legacy of the tragic day looming over all the proceedings. On a human scale, it’s an affecting tale of a mother (J. Smith-Cameron’s powerfully acted Joan) and daughter, a teacher (Matt Damon’s earnest Mr. Aaron) and a student, as well as victims, perpetrators, and observers. And that’s the beauty of watching the imperfect “Margaret” – doing your own internal rack focusing is not just encouraged. It’s practically required to make sense of the events. B+ / 
It’s a new year for the “F.I.L.M.” column, but more importantly, it’s the home stretch of the Oscar season! Soon enough, the intense politics will start to die down and we will just be left to reflect on the performances and the movies. To celebrate the season, the next seven weeks of the “F.I.L.M. of the Week” series will be devoted to covering little-seen and underrated gems from the 2010 nominees.
Marshall and the Movies 
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