It's a common hallmark of youth to believe that one is invincible, and that choices and actions have little, if any, consequence. But at a certain point, the world slaps you in the face, shakes you violently by the shoulder and yells at you with the gumption of a drill instructor until you realize that you are not an island. It is a lesson revisited time and time again in "The Company You Keep," a drama about regret and the actions that define us.
After thirty years on the run, Sharon (Susan Sarandon), a Vermont housewife and former member of a radical anti-government group is arrested for her role in a bank robbery that ended with the death of a security guard. Ben (Shia LaBeouf), a reporter desperate to prove himself, carries out an investigation of the arrest and other members of the group that brings him to the door of Jim (Robert Redford), a recently widowed single father. Jim is also wanted for the bank robbery, and once Ben reveals his identity, he is forced to go on the run to clear his name.
"The Company You Keep" is less of a film in the vein of "The Fugitive" and more of a slow-burn drama that focuses on Ben and Jim as both men come to terms with their future and past.
I've never been the biggest fan of actors who also direct, but Redford is a good exception to the rule. He knows how to pace his action and keep a story interesting. It's also nice to note that he avoids falling into the narcissistic trap that renders the work of many actor-directors moot.
In "The Company You Keep," Redford's Jim is subdued and quiet. He's the main character, but it's not an obvious thing, which allows the film's numerous supporting actors to shine as well. In fact, it looks like Redford called in every favor he could because the film is a minefield of cameos from actors as diverse as Anna Kendrick and Brendan Gleeson.
Metaphor is not used extensively in the film as LaBeouf's Ben is an eager, young reporter willing to do anything to get the scoop is reminiscent of an out-of-control and mostly detrimental media. Ironically, he seems to be channeling Redford's Bob Woodward from "All The President's Men," but only ever so slightly. It's nice to see LaBeouf in a role in which he's not running away from giant robots or getting naked for the sake of art and Sigur Ros's ethereal soundscapes.
Of course, the best allegory comes from Jim's past as an anti-government radical. Redford, who in real life is a notorious liberal, does not let his prejudices show. In fact, the film denounces the activities of the Weather Underground and condemns its extremist activities, but it does also try to understand why the group carried out its attacks. When all attempts at peaceful protest fail, what better way to send a message than through violence? Unfortunately, as the catalytic bank robbery shows, this is the wrong message to send in any context.
This message is driven home by Mimi (Julie Christie), an unrepentant and selfish member of the group who refuses to own up to her actions. If anything, she is a living testament to the damage that extremism and fanatic beliefs can have on one's psyche.
"The Company You Keep" is currently playing at the Nugget.
