Canadian wunderkind
Xavier Dolan's psycho-sexual thriller Tom at the Farm is an
exercise in delayed gratification. Technically his fourth feature, preceding
the visually bold and expressive Mommy (which was one of my
top films of 2014), and the film melds Dolan's trademark artistic vigor with a
moody, Hitchcockian style he's never attempted before. And yet fans of Dolan's
work will no doubt appreciate that his core themes continue to resonate
throughout, even if others may find the whole thing too strange to fully
grasp.
The multi-talented Dolan
writes, directs, and stars as gay ad exec Tom, who arrives at the titular farm
for the funeral of his lover, Guillaume. From the moment he arrives at the
empty farm it's a foreboding, unwelcoming place, and while not specifically stated
it seems especially dangerous for someone like Tom. As captured by Dolan, the
Canadian countryside is a rugged, harsh place that would chew up the
effeminate, quiet Tom. Eventually he encounters his ex's maddeningly clueless
mother, Agathe (Lise Roy), who has no idea her son was gay. However,
Guillaume's menacing brother Francis (Pierre-Yves Cardinal) was well aware, and
has been keeping his mother in the dark. Under the constant threat of violence
he forces Tom to uphold the lie, even going so far as to invent a girlfriend
for Guillaume, who Agathe takes perverse pleasure in hating and being obsessed
with.
What unfolds is a
twisted sadomasochistic bond that forms between Frances and Tom, with
secrets emerging about both that shift our perspective on them. Tom comes
across as someone desperate for connection; so needy of acceptance that he's
willing to endure physical and emotional torment. While Frances blocks his
attempts to leave at nearly every turn, Tom has plenty of other opportunities
to escape and yet always finds a reason to stick around. Dolan builds the
tension between the two by teasing something more than a twisted heterosexual
relationship. Frances has demons on top of demons, with a current of
self-loathing inflaming his frequent violent outbursts. 
The sexually-charged
undercurrent will invite many comparisons to the works of Patricia Highsmith,
while the deliberately darkening mood invokes Hitchcock, but rest assured this
is a Dolan film all the way. That extends to his shifting aspect ratios
(previously seen in Mommy), and commentary on motherhood. Dolan has spent
multiple films working through his mommy issues and this time he's feeling
violently protective. Once again he gets strong performances from his cast,
especially from the intimidating Cardinal, and Dolan gives Tom the necessary
vulnerability. But we never learn much about any of the characters beyond their
bizarre behavior. An explanation for what is going or, or at least some
suggestion whether everyone is completely insane, is never forthcoming, making
for a payoff that fails to reward our anticipation.
Rating: 3 out of 5
