What can I say except that this is exceptionally well put together? The title character is a wreck, deeply troubled in various ways, and Felicity Huffman unreservedly leans into that total mess with a panache that feels achingly real - we've all known someone like Tammy at some point, and Huffman definitely brings her to life. Catherine is trying to hold herself together and live a normal life amidst her mother's antics and the downturn; to the great credit of Anastasia Phillips, there's a terrific honesty in her portrayal that makes the exhaustion and mental pain very real. Other characters get less time on-screen, but even so capably round out the tableau with a vivid portraiture of humanity, just trying to get by in their own little ways, while in this case of course also playing some particular role in the lives of Catherine or Tammy. The supporting cast that these parts give performances that are just as gratifyingly solid, joining the leads in providing a heart and soul for the feature that's sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes warm and lovely, but always rich and absorbing; far be it from me to identify a favorite, but it's safe to say that Clark Johnson makes the biggest impression outside of Huffman and Phillips. I suppose I had fairly high expectations in the first place based on good word of mouth, but still I'm pleased with the finished picture - 'Tammy's always dying' is fantastic.
It's several steps too far to say this is a comedy, yet there's plentiful wry humor scattered throughout the length in the difficult, tumultuous relationship between the main characters, the bewilderment that Tammy evokes at her ill-behaved worst, or the efforts of Catherine to find some measure of peace or stability. Such levity is pointedly contrasted with the extremes of what Catherine puts up with - her level of stress and outright despair, her need to be seen and meaningfully appreciated - to say nothing of the fundamental hardship of the mother-daughter relationship. My commendations to screenwriter Joanne Sarazen for creating characters of realistic complexity and personality, hard dialogue, varied and engaging scene writing, and a softly compelling narrative of all the clutter and complications that constitute our lives. I couldn't say that it's an "enjoyable" or "pleasant" watch, as such descriptors don't fit the tenor of the picture, but it's engrossing, and vibrant with all the ugliness that gathers around us or which we might ourselves foment. And with that, I think it's unexpectedly impactful, and unquestionably satisfying and rewarding as a viewer.
The cast, the writing - and let's not leave out the very true to life production design and art direction, or the wardrobe and hair and makeup work. Casey Manierka-Quaile's original music is superb, and the select songs on the soundtrack as well: at all times hitting the exact right notes to add tremendously to any given scene, no matter the tone. Daniel Grant's cinematography is lush and mindful, itself full of character of its own. And Amy Jo Johnson - actor, singer - can readily add "director" to her list of skills. No stranger to the industry by any means, I think she demonstrates outstanding, firm grasp of the precise delicate touch needed in all regards, as though she's been in the director's chair for far longer and on many more projects (aside from, it seems, one previous feature and two shorts). From orchestrating shots and scenes, to guiding the cast, to overseeing the production and tying all the disparate pieces together, Johnson shows herself to be just as capable as a filmmaker as she is in the camera's eye, and I hope we get to see her do much more in the years to come.
Though hitting especially hard at one time or another, 'Tammy's always dying' doesn't sustain absolute, undivided engagement. Great as it is, I think the screenplay could perhaps have been tightened a little, shaving off a smidgen from those scenes that are most concretely centered around the core relationship. Yet even this is a decidedly minor consideration when all is said and done, and by and large I'm so pleased with how marvelously well crafted the picture is in all ways. There are maybe some odd flavors here, but I suppose that's also exactly the point of Sarazen's screenplay and the overall vision, and I'd have no qualms recommending this to just about anyone. Suggested above all for fans of Huffman, Phillips, Johnson, or others involved, 'Tammy's always dying' is a strong, smart drama about the untidiness of our lives and especially parent-child relationships, and well worth 90 minutes of one's time.
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