Rudderless shook me. It passionately champions the value of every human life, telling the tale of a grieving father trying to get over the death of his son. I greatly enjoyed the music in the film and purchased the soundtrack as soon as I could. I have actually been waiting for it to be released theatrically ever since January when I saw Rudderless for the first time at the Sundance Film Festival. William H. Macy earned a standing ovation when he took the stage following the screening of this powerful film, which is his directorial debut. The plot progresses at an appropriate pace, with only a few minor lapses in momentum during the first act. Once the second act began, I was completely hooked. The film is available via VOD right now.
Rudderless follows Sam (played by Billy Crudup), a former successful ad executive whose life spins out of control after his son Josh dies in a tragic school shooting. Years later, Sam is finally able to bring himself to go through some of Josh’s belongings. Josh was a musician, and Sam begins to discover Josh’s music by listening to his recordings, reading his handwritten lyrics, and even learning to play his songs. He attracts the attention of a young enthusiastic musician named Quentin (portrayed by Anton Yelchin). They eventually form a band called “Rudderless” and begin to play regularly at the local tavern where they met (whose owner is played by William H. Macy himself). The whole process proves therapeutic and ultimately healing for Sam, as he gets to know an intimate side of his son and comes to terms with his death.
SPOILERS follow, but I highly recommend watching the film knowing only what you know right now. Doing so will increase the power of this film to change your perspective on some very delicate subject material.
We learn early on that Sam’s son Josh dies in a school shooting, but it is not until the third act that it is revealed that Josh was not a victim but was actually the gunman. William H. Macy does a fantastic job of not tipping off the audience to this fact so that when it is finally revealed, the moment carries great emotional weight. All of the sudden, the pain that Sam has been experiencing takes on a whole new meaning as it becomes clear that he is dealing with more than just grief from losing a son. Sam is also burdened with shame, regret, and guilt.
I can only imagine the things that must have been going through his mind in the years following the shooting. He might have wondered if he somehow could have been a better parent, or if he could have seen some warning signs from his son and prevented them. He may have even wished that he could erase the horrific events that ended his son’s life and the lives of so many others.
Rudderless asks viewers to see these types of situations from a different perspective – through the eyes of the gunman and of their family. This is not a perspective many would want to consider, given that the typical natural response to an incident of this nature is to demonize the gunman. Rudderless boldly delves into how a shooting like this affects the family of the gunman without diminishing the effect on the families of the victims.
This film is rooted in an belief in the equal value of every human life. Just because someone commits a terrible, violent crime does not mean that they are somehow less of a person. They have family and friends who love and care for them just like the victims have. This was powerfully illustrated in the scene in which Sam tells Laurence Fishburne’s character Del that the songs he has been playing in Rudderless were written by his son the gunman. When Del asks what Sam was thinking playing his son’s songs when there were so many other people’s sons and daughters whom he killed, Sam responds in a broken voice, “He was my son.”
After this Sam walks onto the campus where the shooting took place. When he sees the memorial erected for the victims, his son’s name is not listed. This reminded me of the memorial which has been erected for victims of the tragic Columbine High School shooting. The names of the gunmen are not listed there because the memorial states that it is intended for remembrance of the victims. Yet as we watch Sam break down in tears at the memorial at his son’s former college, we are reminded that it is not only the families of the innocent victims who are affected by events like this but also the families of the perpetrators. The extreme pain can cause those affected by tragedies like this to want to react with similarly extreme measures. The residents of Newtown, CT, where the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred a few years ago, have recently suggested that the gunman’s house be torn down and the land turned into a nature preserve instead.
It can certainly be appropriate, helpful, and even therapeutic to remember and even memorialize the victims of tragedies. It might also feel helpful to some to remove all negative reminders of such tragedies. However, Rudderless petitions viewers to consider another approach, one which considers the inherent worth of every human life rather than simply discarding the memory of those who do such horrible things. One of the most interesting questions brought up by the film is whether some seemingly beautiful artistic creation should still be enjoyed and considered beautiful if it turns out that the person who created it is someone like Josh.
Sam struggles with what to make of his son’s actions and death. That struggle takes its toll on Sam both mentally and physically. However, as he finally takes the time to listen to his son’s music, he begins to discover more about who his son really was. This transformation becomes evident in the final song of the film, one of Josh’s unfinished songs which Sam has had to finish for him. In a moving confessional, Sam informs his audience in the tavern who his son was and tells them that the song he is about to play is his son’s song. Sam sings parts of the song on behalf of his son, and other parts as a message to him.
Sam wants people to listen and discover who his son was – to see the value in his life simply through the eyes of a father’s love for his son. As Sam sings, “Maybe love’s the only answer. I will find a way to sing your song….What is lost shall be replaced, what is gone is not forgotten. I wish you were here to sing along, my son.” I hope that watching Rudderless challenges some of your preconceptions and helps you to see every human life as precious and valuable. That’s what it did for me.
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