Director: Todd Stephens
Writers: Todd Stephens
Stars: Udo Kier, Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans, Michael Urie
Synopsis: An aging hairdresser escapes his nursing home and embarks on an odyssey across his small town to style a dead woman’s hair for her funeral, rediscovering his sparkle along the way.
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When we meet Pat Pitsenbarger (Udo Kier), the subject of Swan Song, he is living a boring existence in a nursing home. Wasting his time, secretly smoking, collecting napkins, and being sneaky with the staff, it seems as if Pat is ready to spend the remaining years of his life in utter uselessness and reminiscing about his younger years.
One day, unexpectedly, a new opportunity comes knocking on his unreceptive door: a former client has died, and she stipulated on her will that Pat should style her hair, the last hairstyle she will ever receive. Through feelings of resentment and conflict, Pat agrees to this mission that seems like an odyssey for the man that does not rely on anyone but himself. With this excuse, he will revisit the town that once was the source of so much happiness and heartbreak.
Uplifted by a charming and unapologetic performance by German actor Udo Kier, Swan Song is filled with a nostalgic atmosphere that is evident in Pat’s demeanor and the constant visions of his lost-love David. His latest outing to the real world seems like a way to make peace with the past while reconnecting with the city that meant so much to him but that now seems completely unrecognizable.
The movie, written and directed by Todd Stephens, works as a celebration of the gay culture of America, perfectly captured by the eccentric hairdresser that lives inside his memories and finds strength in his life-long grudges. Even though he has a blast while going across town, there are some unfinished businesses that propel his adventure.
First, he needs to confront his former apprentice and now archenemy Dee Dee Dale (Jennifer Coolidge), who dared to open her new parlor right in front of Pat’s famous place. Second, Pat has conflicting memories of Rita Parker Sloan (Linda Evans), the woman that summoned his abilities for the last time. As the movie progresses, we learn about their unbalanced relationship in which her power and arrogance created a cloudy barrier between client and employee. Were they friends or did they only have a professional relationship? Throughout the day, Pat will slowly learn the impression he left on others (both good and bad), and the unexpected ways in which he influenced those around him. Pat learns some redeeming qualities of his former client when she is no longer there to make amends.
Even though we see everything through Pat’s eyes, we still get an idea of his wild ways of the past. Still, there is so much joy in his current ways that we empathize with his nostalgic point of view. His grudges become our grudges too, just as his longing for the past, his love, and his days of success merge with our own longing feelings. Swan Song is both a fête and a melancholic journey.
While the movie presents memorable performances by its supporting cast, including the mean, but perfect Jennifer Coolidge, the soul of the movie is Udo Kier. The veteran and legendary actor offers a playful performance that is impossible to be indifferent to. Pat steals, lies, fails to keep promises, and yet, he has our interest and devotion.
Swan Song is an enjoyable overview of the last adventure of a fabulous man. Through his exploration of an almost deserted city, Pat goes through memory lane, thinking about the grandiosity of his former life, the love that brought so much happiness to his life, and the rivalries that could finally get closure. While deeply nostalgic, this film is, more importantly, a celebration of joy.
