Auto Focus (September 18/02)

Greg Kinnear's been floundering ever since his amazing performance in As Good as it Gets. He followed that Oscar nominated role with instantly forgettable starring appearances in mediocre movies like Mystery Men and Someone Like You, and chose to smirk and wisecrack his way through those flicks rather than establish a credible character. But with Auto Focus, the new film by Paul Schrader, Kinnear proves that his performance in As Good as it Gets wasn't a fluke; rather, he's a genuinely talented actor who's most successful when paired with strong directors.

Auto Focus casts Kinnear as Bob Crane, the star of the popular sitcom Hogan's Heroes whose addiction to porn led to his downfall. The movie opens with Crane working at a radio station, a job that soon leads into an audition for a show called Hogan's Heroes. He gets the part, and seems content with the fame and fortune that's now heading his way. But when he lands an ongoing gig playing drums at a seedy strip bar, Crane discovers that he's got an insatiable penchant for sex - a passion shared by John Carpenter (Willem Dafoe), an electronics expert that befriends Crane. The two begin experimenting with a new technology that allows them to videotape themselves with various women, most of whom agree to participate due to Crane's fame. But Crane's fascination soon turns into an obsession, which begins to harm both his work and family.

Paul Schrader seems the perfect choice to helm this seedy tale, as it deals primarily with the themes he's spent the majority of his career exploring. Though it's ostensibly a biopic based on the unfortunate life of Bob Crane, Auto Focus is really about addiction. But instead of booze or drugs, Crane's addiction is sex - a fixation that seems to stem from his loneliness and despair. In the first half of the film, Crane is a man who prefers dealing with people on a more superficial level. He's more comfortable putting on a phony smile and shaking hands with fans, until he hooks up with Carpenter and begins exploring his darker side.

Auto Focus is very well done all around, from the direction to the acting, but it never quite becomes the superb piece of work it wants to be. Like most films that deal with addiction, Auto Focus eventually becomes a one-note look at a man's downward spiral. But before it reaches that point, the film offers up a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of a sitcom star. Crane is an odd character, in that he's not content with enjoying the success he's presumably worked so hard to get. It's not long after he starts Hogan's Heroes that he begins drumming at those seedy bars, and soon after that he begins drinking and having all-night sex parties. Crane's relationship with Carpenter seems to be the driving force behind his decent into the world of amateur porn (in fact, since video cameras were so scarce back than, Crane and Carpenter are essentially porn pioneers). By the time Crane comes the realization that his secret life is starting to seep into his day-to-day existence, it's too late for him to stop.

Schrader infuses the film with a sense of style that matches the constantly evolving tone, which allows for an interesting visual experience at any rate. The first half of the film, with Crane's burgeoning success and fame, is bright and colorful - just like the period it occurs in. But as Crane begins to slide deeper and deeper into the world of porn, Schrader adopts a grainier look and employs the use of a handheld camera - both of which give the movie a grittier, documentary-like feel. However, Schrader's directorial choices would mean nothing if both Kinnear and Dafoe gave lackluster performances, which they decidedly do not. Kinnear, in particular, is quite impressive as this man who finds himself becoming more and more distant from the people who love him and from his career. Like Nicolas Cage's character in Leaving Las Vegas, Crane is someone who can't necessarily control his addiction but the innocence and vulnerability is always there. Likewise, Dafoe is excellent playing yet another creepy weirdo; after his work as a normal guy in Schrader's Affliction, it seemed as though Dafoe might finally be ready to abandon the goofball characters that made him famous. Not quite, but there's no denying that he gives an amazing performance.

Auto Focus certainly isn't a bad movie - the acting alone makes it worth checking out - but it is a disappointment, especially coming from someone like Paul Schrader. Still, it's mostly an interesting look at the dark side of fame.