Two boys are fighting and arguing in the front room, in a way that doesn't seem out of the ordinary. The father comes home and is greeted on his porch by a foreclosure notice. Entering the house he sends the youngest upstairs to his room, keeping the eldest to have a much needed one-to-one conversation.
There is a lot going on in this film and, while the narrative suggests it is about one thing, it isn't 'about' the conversation, so much as it uses the conversation as a central point to look at all of the other factors and how they all link up. The background of crippling debt is there from the start in the foreclosure notice, but also in the smaller details (the two boys sharing a room, the 'for sale' sign in the window of the car) and the feeling of desperation and frustration is there throughout the film. The subject of the conversation is unsettling and it remains so through the film, however what engages is the suggestion of the bigger world that perhaps is all part of it; it is telling that everyone seems to be telling one another not to swear but at the same time are swearing themselves. The film wisely stays back from suggesting that all the pieces fit together in one easy formula of a+b=c, although it perhaps does get closer than I would have liked at times. The title of 'disgrace' appears to apply to the family themselves, since we are encouraged to see the neighbors watching events unfold with a disapproving air. I don't care for this as a title since it suggests a judgment from the film – although I appreciated that the film doesn't do this itself.
The performances really make the most of the material and film. The focal point is the father and for many viewers it may take a few seconds to get over the fact that they already know actor Ogg from his work as the psychotically angry character of Trevor from Grand Theft Auto V. You shouldn't let this get in the way because, although the yelling and threat of violence does connect the two, there is nothing funny or cartoonish about his character or performance here. He is convincing as a tired man, someone who is prone to his own weakness and doesn't even convince himself (far less his son) when trying to push them down. Druid is strong because he convinces opposite Ogg, and the two do sell their characters and situation. The various supporting characters do well but the film belongs to the two male leads.
Modderno's writing and direction keep the drama very close and intimate for the viewer while we are in the house, but outside we have the distance to see how it plays out as a bystander. I liked the manner of delivery and the closeness to his own material means that Modderno gets good performances and nuance to most of the film. It is an effective film in terms of the one scenario linking into a bigger picture, and it is satisfying in its tone and content.
