Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Jump, Darling is a drama about an amateur drag queen who leaves his boyfriend and moves in with his grandmother.
Since Russell’s (Thomas Duplessie) acting career is going nowhere, he decides to take up drag. The only problem is that his boyfriend, Justin (Andrew Bushell), refuses to support his career change. To give his acting career a boost, Justin suggests they move to New York City or Los Angeles, but Russell refuses to go. Instead, he leaves Justin and moves out of their apartment. With no income or means to get around, he visits his grandmother, Margaret (Cloris Leachman), who has a car she’d once offered to give him.
Russell’s plan is to stay with Margaret for one night, then drive off to begin his new life. However, upon arrival, Russell discovers that Margaret is not only frail but has come close to severely injuring herself. Concerned for Margaret’s safety, he stays and gets a job doing drag at a local gay bar. As Russell spends time with Margaret, he discovers that his mother, Ene (Linda Kash), wants Margaret to move into a nursing a nursing, something Maragret refuses to do. As Russell and Margaret bond on their independence, Russell learns more about himself, his grandmother, and the truth about his grandfather.
Some Thoughts:
Although Jump, Darling is well told, the plot never feels complete and lacks emotional attachment. Russell comes off as selfish and petulant and only partially redeems himself by the end of the film. And while his journey of self-discovery rings true, we never get the full picture as to how he came to be this way.
Leachman and Duplessie work well together, but it’s Leachman who truly shines. Her depiction of an elderly woman struggling to keep her independence is spot on. Also, Margaret’s story of reconciliation and acceptance is far better told than Russell’s, which lacks depth. This is because the plot doesn’t spend enough time on Russell’s motivations or how he came to be so broken. Because of this, the movie doesn’t have the emotional impact it should.
The film opens with Margaret trying to light a gas burner on the stove. The scene is tense and uncomfortable, with Margaret unsuccessfully striking a match while the gas is on, which makes it feel important. Unfortunately, it’s only mentioned once and dropped. Why it had to be so extreme is a mystery.
Despite its flaws, it’s not a bad movie. The acting is good, as is the direction and pacing. There are also some entertaining drag performances.
The Final Verdict:
Jump, Darling is a decent movie despite failing to deliver the emotional impact it deserves. If the topic of suicide is triggering for you, it may be a good idea to stay away from this movie.