NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Screenplay by Michelle Ballo

Reminiscent of Wrecking Ball, staggering script offers a tour de force part in Dan Appleby, prestige all the way, fact-based tale of mental illness and homelessness packs a wallop. Told through an early nineties NYC filter where sports columnist Dan sees his homeless parents getting their dinner out of a garbage can, remembering growing up destitute with alcoholic dad Tex, insane mom Josie, and two deranged sisters, a family unit held together with Saran Wrap. Through a series of vivid flashbacks, we see how Tex encouraged Dan to become a writer, how Tex was exploited by his own family members in a child pornography ring, how Dan gets engaged to bank teller Lorna and tells his homeless parents they’re not invited to the wedding. There are three breathtaking scenes: one, crashing the engagement party, Tex breaks Dan’s nose after losing a thumb wrestling contest; two, Dan says good riddance to a flailing Tex on his deathbed; last scene is a jaw-dropper* when Dan finds out his mother stashed a million dollars in a savings account and they all lived broke for no good reason. Expertly told, the role of batshit crazy Tex is a terrifying daddy not seen since Duvall in The Great Santini. Soundtrack of script is Dan’s heart breaking.