It is rare for modern dramas, especially those based on controversial stories, to garner almost universal reviews—not only from the critics but from regular audiences as well. But that is just what the film Any Day Now, directed by Travis Fine, and written by Travis Fine and George Arthur Bloom, has done. The film is based on a true story of a controversial 1970s adoption case and stars Alan Cumming, Garret Dillahunt, Jamie Anne Allman, and Isaac Levya.
Levya is a newcomer to the industry, but the film’s three adult stars have extensive Hollywood credits and have garnered much acclaim for their previous work—their experience has no doubt helped them to produce such critically praised performances in Any Day Now. Cumming’s film credits include The Anniversary Party, Eyes Wide Shut, and Titus; Dillahunt’s film credits include No Country for Old Men, The Last House on the Left, Winter’s Bone, and Looper; Allman’s credits include The Notebook, Prairie Fever and The Donner Party. Cumming’s performance in particular has garnered rave reviews, inspiring word such as: “There’s joy in the small moments and fierce, humanist dignity in Alan Cumming’s performance,” by NY film critic Robert Levin.
The plot of Any Day Now follows the story of Rudy Donatello (Cumming); Rudy is a struggling musician working in 1970s West Hollywood. He works nightly as a drag performer at a gay nightclub, where he meets Paul Fleiger (Garret Dillahunt). Paul is a closeted district attorney who must keep his sexuality a secret. That night, Rudy finds a boy named Marco (Isaac Levya); Marco is a 14 year old boy with Down syndrome whom Rudy finds out has been abandoned after his mother, Marianna (Jamie Anne Allman) has been arrested. Rudy takes the boy in but Family Services soon intervenes and puts Marco into the foster care system. Rudy, desperate to take care of the boy he has come to love, enlists the help of Paul to help him gain custody of Marco. Rudy and Paul visit the arrested Marianna in prison and convince her into signing temporary guardianship papers that grant Rudy and Paul temporary care of Marco until they are able to convince the courts to grant them full custody. The pair cares for Marco as their own son, but when their relationship is called into question by the court, they find themselves in the middle of a heated legal battle over a boy they have both come to love as a son.
Alan Cumming is currently performing on Broadway in the revival of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Mr. Cumming does not just play Macbeth but primarily all the other significant roles creating an ostensible one-man journey through tragedy. This, of course, is not without its hardships and Mr. Cumming has once again proven himself fit for the task.
I met Alan Cumming in 2006 when I was a sponsor for the 72nd Annual Drama League Awards. In fact, Alan came up to me and asked me the correct pronunciation of my last name so that he may be confident in his role as host for the event. That attention to detail is not as common today as it once was and I never forgot his politeness nor did I forget him. Through the years since I have paid closer attention to his career, whether he be catering to the young in Spy Kids 3-D or as Nightcrawler in Xmen or engaging their parents in the more dramatic role of Eli Gold in The Good Wife.
If omnipresent means to be everywhere at the same time, than I would consider Mr. Alan Cumming, not multi-talented, but omni-talented for he truly is amazing at everything he does. I was ever so fortunate to see and hear him perform with his good friend Liza Minnelli at Town Hall and can only imagine how utterly breath-taking they must have been on Fire Island. Looking to the future, Alan will portray Salvatore Dali in The Surrealist, I cannot dream of better casting for that role and I cannot think of anyone having more fun becoming Dali than Alan.
The Drama League in NYC has recently nominated Macbeth for the OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A BROADWAY OR OFF-BROADWAY PLAY as well as Mr. Cumming for the DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE AWARD. The 2013 Drama League Awards take place on May 17, 2013 at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.
Lastly, one of my very best friends has Down syndrome, for that reason and a great many more to Mr. Cumming, I would like to say thank you.
