Bob Nelson is best known for his Academy Award-nominated screenplay for Nebraska, a film about a father and his son going on a seemingly futile quest to collect prize money. Nelson’s directorial debut, The Confirmation, is by no means a far cry from that story. Underemployed carpenter Walt (Clive Owen) has the rare opportunity to spend a weekend with his eight-year-old son, Anthony (Jaeden Lieberher), while his ex-wife (Maria Bello) and her new husband (Matthew Modine) attend a Catholic couples retreat. But their bonding time is overshadowed by Walt’s mounting problems—namely, retrieving his stolen toolbox, battling alcohol withdrawal and trying to come up with some money to pay his landlord to avoid eviction.
The story itself is couched in religion, beginning with the opening scene of Anthony in confession, at a loss for any sins to confess. Thankfully, the film shies away from any overly contrived or preachy message vis-à-vis Catholicism, but it’s not without its heavy-handed symbolism. Walt is a carpenter, after all. But when Anthony expresses his concerns about being thrown into Catholicism because of his devout step-father and offers up the gem, “I don’t want to eat Jesus,” Walt counters that Christianity might be right about the whole God thing and it might not be. For the sake of making the boy’s mother happy, though, Walt advises him to get confirmed and go to church, and encourages him to figure it all out for himself when he’s grown. As far as faith on screen goes, that philosophy is preferable to what you normally find on the Hallmark Channel.
But, outside of the occasional reference, the religious aspect of the film is secondary to the toolbox hunt. And that meandering quest does start to wear thin fairly quickly. For a guy who spends so much time hanging out at the local tavern, Walt really has no idea who might have stolen his tools. His first stop, though, is Vaughn’s (Tim Blake Nelson), a guy who clearly would know about the seedier things going on in this small Washington town. Per his tip, Walt tracks down meth-addict Drake (a delightful Patton Oswalt) and the trio spend a fair amount of time accusing innocent people of stealing. It’s an indication of these characters’ recognition of and commiseration with Walt’s desperate situation that none of them assault him. Well, all except the pawnbroker who refuses to return his stolen goods.
The Confirmation is decidedly low-key and as earnest as a father-son film can be. And any drama in the story is just as understated as Owen’s performance. Certainly, the duo find themselves in tight spots—facing off against thieves, sociopathic kids with guns and general unsavory types. But nothing escalates to legitimate danger. Instead, Nelson’s script is complacent with its methodical pace.
A not-uninteresting take on a coming-of-age tale that posits that learning the difference between sin and necessary evil is the first step to adulthood, The Confirmation can’t help but come across as a little too pat. Its emphasis on forgiveness and understanding really doesn’t go much deeper than the typical heartfelt TV movie.
