The Man Without a Face

Mel Gibson's directorial debut is based on the novel by Isabelle Holland from Nova Scotia. Mel Gibson as a director was more finding himself in this piece and drastically improved his director skills two years later with Braveheart. This movie stars Gibson himself and Nick Stahl who, a child actor at the time can be now best recognized as "Yellow bastard" in Sin City.

The story surrounds the boy Chuck Norstadt seeking recluse from his confusing family background having 2 sisters both from different fathers all living with the same mother who continues to remarry as a hobby. Fatherless, the boy finds his refuge and a patriarchal figure in the town "freak," a man who has the entire left side of hid body burned from a car crash that killed a boy who was travelling with him.

The viewer finds out that the man was once a professor who was tried and acquitted of child abuse with the boy who died in the car accident, losing his teaching licence. With each visit that the boy continues to meet with and be tutored by McLeod, a snowball continued to grow inside my mind as I knew that these innocent and very profitable visits for the boy, needing a father figure and tutor and equally for McLeod who is socially isolated longing for a pupil. They fill each other's voids as they continue to give each other companionship. For example here my favorite line from their friendship when talking about why men and women are attracted to each other:

McLeod: The problem is one of water.
Chuck Norstadt: Water?
McLeod: Water. Women have, on average, about 5% more of it than do men, making them subject to different forces of gravity. Oh don't take my word for it, you can look it up in Newton. It's there.
Chuck Norstadt: Couldn't they be drained?
[McLeod laughs]
Chuck Norstadt: I'm serious!
McLeod: Well, I believe they're waiting for us to drink more fluids.

The movie leaves the viewer with what I feel to be an ambiguous ending. Indeed the visits catch up to the two as the boy had been lying all summer as to where he had been spending his time to his mother. Perhaps most viewers would believe that the man never touched the boy and they indeed shared a valuable friendship. However, I believe that there is a red herring sent to the viewer earlier in the movie that could lead the viewer to think otherwise. When Chuck confronts McLeod as to whether he really abused the boy that died in the car accident, the following conversation ensues:

McLeod: Think Norstadt, reason. Have I ever abused you? Did I ever lay a hand on you of anything but friendship on you? Could I? Could you imagine me ever doing so? And what about the past?
Chuck Norstadt: Just tell me you didn't do it, I'll believe you.
McLeod: No, no sir! I didn't spend all summer so you could cheat on this question.

The boy immediately believes McLeod and apologizes for doubting him. However, earlier in the film when Chuck tried to comfort McLeod that the boy dying was not his fault, McLeod grabbed the boy's arm and pushed it aggressively to the side. This incident leads me to believe that McLeod did indeed abuse the boy before him and since the jury saw him guilty for doing so the man desired redemption in the new face which reminded him of the past in Chuck.

The man's face is a metaphor for redemption and change. His face is split down the middle as to remind him of the past and his future. I believe that because of what he did, the scarred part of his face represents his sin, however the side of his face which is not scarred represents his time with Chuck, his chance at redemption for what he did wrong. McLeod is seen splitting his face with a mirror as to see his face as it used to be in the reflection. He desired to be seen as the new man he wants to be, which causes him to continue to teach the boy. It is ironic that the man wishes to be seen for what he is, not what he was and that face that would represent what he is, is indeed the face that he used to have not the one with burns which represents what he was. This ensues until the man hears exactly what he has been looking for when the boy tells him that when he looks at him he can't see his scars any more, he sees him for who he really is. Note the quote from McLeod himself:

Justin McLeod: People spend too much time thinking of the past. Whatever else it is, it's gone.

The man can't escape his past as he is accused of abusing Chuck, even when he didn't. Therefore no matter how hard he tries he cannot be seen for what he truly is and wishes to be seen as. Thus, he is the man without a face.

Justin McLeod: Is it this? Is this what you see? I assure you it is human. But if that's all you see, then you don't see me. You can't see me.

CONSENSUS:

Rotten Tomatoes give this move a 58% rating

Zoom In Analysis will DISAGREE with this rating and give it a 7/10

Although lagging at times in waiting for some sort of climax, the movie deals with novel issues which can challenge the mind if you allow it. The film creates a wonderful atmosphere that takes the viewer into second chances and mixes childhood passages like Beauty and the Beast with strokes from contemporary stories like Finding Forrester and Good Will Hunting.