The comparisons to Pinter are interesting because while this film starts out as a typical drama, it is just full of surprises and builds to a place of more natural sources of menace that Pinter would insert often with a bit more surrealism into his work. Smith gives a complex performance filtered through simple mannerisms to fit with the social mores of her surroundings. A lot of her psychology is due to her conflicting relationship between rebellion and harnessing herself to expectations. Hearne defies her aunt, laughs at church, and spouts lies, but maintains loyalty, exhibits kindness, and pays her bills regardless of financial concerns. She suppresses her own awareness to the shady dealings around her as a protective mechanism to refute the deep-rooted isolation that pervades her.
This can also join the short list of great films about alcoholism, but not in the blunt methods that decide to focus on the surface problem of drinking. The drinking as coping tool for unbearable dysphoria fits with the self-medication hypothesis and was placed gracefully as a symptom of the problem that is her loneliness rather than making it the core issue of the film, which also aligns with the principles of most recovery programs and psychoeducation on the subject. All characters are hiding behind ideology to suppress their dark sides and this was generally well revealed in a slow fashion that packed a wallop. There are loud examples of course (including one horrific assault) but even the piano clients are quick to spit in Judy's face over small violations of expected social behavior that are magnified for existing at all in a rigid society. This lack of flexibility or understanding that we witness reinforces our empathy for Smith’s own fear-based behavior as having merit in feeling necessary to deny the expression of pain.
I loved the use of the Church in this film as a reliable constant that exists without capacity to betray her trust or defy expectations, so Hearne clings to it even though we have reason to believe that an unconscious part of her is doing so for psychological rather than spiritual reasons. The church is also clearly not enough of a support alone but it is a healthy one and it was heartening to see it portrayed as such despite not fitting in the box of pure devoted souls. Her moral alliance with Christianity is stronger than seemingly every other character though, despite public appearances!
Smith does find the ability to make herself vulnerable at times, and these moments are to be admired for her bravery in participating with authenticity even when she knows she has too few supports, and when she then distorts the truth to save face we feel just as empathetic for her lies carry with them that stabilization that she cannot find elsewhere. There is also the theme of dreams and aspirations, with Hoskins for all his awful actions running parallel to Smith in desperately clinging to an idea that will grant him esteem and freedom from a world he doesn't feel kindship with, and even if one dream is less reliant on connection than the other, they both have their fair selfish origins. The collective effect of this film is one of congeniality even if the narrative is specific and unrelatable in many ways. For anyone who has experienced acute or persistent feelings of loneliness and lived enough years to be desensitized and hardened by the small or large traumas of expectations burned, this is a feast for social and emotional identification, not necessarily intertwined which is a rarity itself.
The self-actualization that ends the film could be seen as a positive surrender in breaking from the crutch of others to fill Smith's hole, or one of pathos in accepting the desolate space of hope. I think that like life, it's both - a bittersweet freedom found in letting go of unrealistic expectations, which means also parting with some fraction of optimism in the process of breaking the chains.
