February 8, 2005 arts. michigandaily. com artsp age @michigandaily.com ART s 6 8 ' Prep' refreshes boarding stigmas 8y Evan McGarvey Daily Music Editor wt sb psirfrigLn.l of ln&e, xd tat 01,p,vllee. 0V,*M0$ 01.3*3*3,3, ,me..W.t curtis sitten fe The boarding school novel has long been supported by the grandfa- therly twin pil- Prep lars "Catcher in By Curtis the Rye" and "A Sittenfeld Separate Peace." Both classic Random House books show a world of boys in seclusion - young men of idle wealth tucked away in corners of New England, playing lacrosse and biding their time until their eventual move to New Haven or Princeton, With her debut novel, "Prep," Cur- tis Sittenfeld draws a new picture of the classic East Cost boarding school. First, her protagonist isn't particu- larly snobby or precociously intel- ligent; Lee Fiora is a Midwestern girl who finds herself at Ault School, overwhelmed academically and envi- ous of each rich Greenwich girl who looks like "she had spent the after- noon playing tennis in the sun." Sec- ond, nothing really happens. With no cataclysmic personal events or historical backdrop, the reader is left to witness the minute details of daily life in a boarding school. Finally, the characters are shaded in wonderfully gray tones. Lee isn't completely like- able and even the most frigid of the privileged ice queens occasionally shows flashes of tenderness. Sittenfeld initially sets Lee up as a pure observer - a watcher who catalogues the everyday behaviors of Ault notable figures. For all the unique elements often mythologized and romanticized about boarding schools, Sittenfeld never relies on the blunt stereotype. After all, on some level high school is high school. Expectedly, Lee, ever the blue- collar scion, cycles through a series of romances: her awkward courting with a dinner-hall worker, the rec- ognition of a lesbian friend and, of course, her book-long passion for Cross Sugarman, the WASP-y, flax- en-haired golden boy of her class. The author captures the often un- romantic, crudely sexual mechan- ics of juvenile relationships with unnerving accuracy. Sittenfeld's canny eye and unflinching storytelling lend an air of authenticity (the author herself attended Groton and now teaches at St. Alban's) that end up as "Prep's" biggest selling point. She handles the details of oft-misunderstood places with a calm restraint and a surprisingly aged reserve. The smell of a dining hall at night, the endless nightly rituals that mark the close of day, the shape of the green spaces around stately classrooms - Sitten- feld captures the places that prep- school graduates remember best. The characters in the novel are, by and large, plausible but sometimes fall into their expected shapes. Read- ers may find the protagonist's constant social climbing and working-class resentment grating. Additionally, few of the characters are without major secrets; It's the only true gap in the novel's believable narrative. Instead of simply rehashing the well-worn stereotypes of older prep- novels and films, Sittenfeld takes a fresh look at modern schools and finds wounds in new places. She's effectively retold the story of a fas- cinating subset of American teenag- ers with realism and brutal honesty. Courtesy of Fine Line Features "This way, grandma. It's almost time to watch 'Murder, She Wrote' reruns." ACTING, DIRECTING CARRY CONTROVERSY-LADEN DRAMA By Zach Borden Daily Arts Writer Mike Leigh ("Secrets and Lies") may not yet be a household name, but for the past few decades, he has moved up the ranks of Ameri- can film, becoming one of the most revered and gifted writer/directors. The British- born filmmaker has proven to be a master storyteller when it comes to the intimate, often Vera Drake At the Michigan Theater Fine Line Features focusing in on the forms illegal abortions for troubled girls in her community. But when one of the women she has helped nearly dies, Vera's balanced life crumbles the instant a criminal investigation leads right to her front door. What makes "Vera Drake" such a noteworthy film is the way Leigh balances the story. While a more conventional filmmaker might allow the saga of Vera's arrest to become needlessly controversial and political, Leigh doesn't ever let the weighty theme of abortion overshadow Vera's individual tragedy. The characters are honest with their feel- ings about abortion, but most of their emotional out- bursts result from Vera's shocking situation. Leigh does not give the story a firm stance on abortion either, but instead wisely chooses to make the film about robust family bonds and unbounded loyalty. Leigh, who is known to improvise much of the dialogue with his performers, also makes sure the characters stay true to themselves. There are several moments that have the potential to irri- tate audiences, but instead are taken in much more convincing directions. Ultimately, Leigh achieves a magisterial tone with his story; he puts up harsh ironies and contrasts London's then-strict laws with human sensibility. Leigh's assured visual style also adds to the film's real- ism; his shots glow with concise details and the dark color scheme emphasizes much of the mov- ie's seedier undertones. A cast of British character actors, led by Imelda Staunton, heightens the film's realism and emo- tional power. She gives a rich and textured per- formance perfectly capturing a simple woman whose life and joy is taken from her in an instant. Staunton makes Vera so endearing and warm that it's impossible not to sympathize with her. The sup- porting players, particularly the actors who portray Vera's family, are also excellent as they deal with inner turmoil and tremendous conflict while facing the difficulties of Vera's situation. As a character-driven narrative that is poignant and challenging, it's clear that "Vera Drake" is not a film for everybody. Nonetheless, the film's emotional core is sincere and resonant and Mike Leigh's commitment to the tricky material is more than admirable. "Vera Drake" is incredibly satis- fying, and Staunton brings a unique power to the title role. And while Leigh has already achieved a very distinguished career as a filmmaker, his lat- est effort is another exercise in cinematic bliss that truly is one of his best achievements. English working class and their personal dramas. Leigh's latest, "Vera Drake," is a tough and rivet- ing character portrait, featuring all the director's trademarks, including a troubling resolution that does not offer any easy answers. Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton, "Sense and Sensibility") is a cheerful and motherly cleaning woman in early 1950s London, who lives a rou- tine life with her husband and family in a tiny, cramped flat. While her life may appear painfully ordinary, Vera keeps a dangerous secret: She per- Folkster lfndS new partner By Andrew M. Gaerig Daily Arts Writer Will Oldham has been fucking with fans' perception of him for the past decade. Oldham, the Kentuck- ian folk/country musician behind the Bonnie "Prince" Billy moni- ker - as well as the Palace fran- chise - mixes the arcane poetry and melody of old-time Appa- lachian music Bonnie -nd humanizing, "Prince" Billy vulgar frivolity and Matt so well that it's Sweeney