The Waterdance

Neal Jimenez & Michael Steinberg – 1992 – USA

Though it was recognized by many critics as one of the best films of the year in 1992, and showcases a number of a still-familiar faces, The Waterdance seems to have been largely forgotten in the decades since.  It’s a modest and unsentimental drama set in a rehabilitation facility for paralyzed accident victims, centered on Joel (Eric Stoltz), an author coming to terms with his new life in a wheelchair.  At first, a wry sense of humor seems like it will keep his spirits afloat but as weeks and months go by and reality sets in, he grows more and more bitter.  Taking most of the brunt of his pessimism is his girlfriend Anna (Helen Hunt), who – to further complicate matters – is not quite broken up with her husband yet.  In other hands, the film surely would have been turned into a preachy tearjerker, which would have ruined its credibility even if that might have earned it some fancy awards.  In that alternate version, Joel surely would have been played by Tom Hanks or Robin Williams for maximum schmaltz, but the role is certainly a highlight in Stoltz’s career, during that brief period in the 90s when he starred in a handful of strong independent films.  He probably wasn’t dynamic or imposing enough to succeed in standard Hollywood fare, but he has a sharpness and edge that was put to very good use in The Waterdance.  Supporting roles are fleshed out colorfully by equally strong actors, including Wesley Snipes, William Forsythe and Grace Zabriskie.  It’s the kind of film where you strongly feel that it’s all coming from a very real place, not that it was concocted by a team of hacks looking for an easy green-light.  It has the courage to avoid simplistic pronouncements and comforting answers.  It has a heart, but a heart that pumps blood, not syrup.