If the word “ventriloquist” makes you think of nerdy, middle-aged men telling groan-inducing jokes, then the new documentary Dumbstruck may leave you speechless. Directed by Emory grad Mark Goffman (’90), it kicks off its theatrical run in Atlanta this Friday following several successful film festival screenings. (Read my interview with Goffman.)
Goffman’s lively movie opens at the annual Vent Haven convention in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky—the ventriloquist capital of the world. And yes, there are plenty of nerdy, middle-aged men there telling groan-inducing jokes. But there are also a surprising number of “vents” in attendance that defy such easy categorization. Taking a cue from documentaries such as Spellbound and Racing Dreams, Goffman zeroes in on five of these characters and their unusual backgrounds. (Read more documentary articles.)
There’s Dan Horn, a onetime guest on Late Night with David Lettermanand one of the few ventriloquists to make it to the promised land of the cruise ship circuit. Kim Yeager, a leggy former Miss Ohio beauty queen stuck performing for schoolchildren and tiny crowds, would like nothing better than to follow in his footsteps. Likewise, 13-year-old Dylan Burdette dreams of signing with a talent agency and joining the pro ranks.
Rounding out the list are Wilma Swartz, an eccentric 6-foot-5-inch former security guard struggling to make mortgage payments in between entertaining nursing home patrons, and Terry Fator, who after a lifetime toiling in obscurity finds himself on “America’s Got Talent” with a chance to wow David Hasselhoff and hit it big.
As you might guess, making a living as a ventriloquist can be a grind, and as Dumbstruck reveals, gaining the acceptance of fellow family members is one of the job’s biggest challenges. Kim’s mom, for example, wishes she wouldn’t hang out so much with her “puppet children,” while Dylan’s dad would like to see him dedicate more time to motorcycle racing. Many of these familial interactions are humorous, but others yield Dumbstruck’s most heartbreaking moments, as we learn how ventriloquism played a role in estrangement from parents, children and spouses.
Despite the occasional detour into family drama, though, Dumbstruck is an unabashedly feel-good documentary. Goffman, who’s tackled darker fare as a writer on The West Wing and Law and Order: SVU, directs with a light touch, occasionally taking a mockumentary approach to the landscape and his subjects but just as often matching their earnestness.
With its roots firmly in the mid-20th century, ventriloquism might seem hopelessly dated in today’s tech-heavy world. But with social media pages, community avatars and personal blogs serving as people’s online extensions of themselves, the self-reflexive nature of ventriloquism—with the puppet serving as a literal extension of the self—makes the entertainment form seem ripe for a rebirth. Goffman doesn’t make that case in Dumbstruck, but by playfully tweaking our preconceived notions regarding ventriloquism, he provides an amusing and illuminating viewing experience.
Grade: B+
"Dumbstruck" opens in Atlanta on April 15 at Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema.
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