DVD Review: Numb - Page 2

According to Harris Goldberg's DVD commentary, it was Matthew Perry's portrayal of Joe Quincy on three episodes of The West Wing that convinced the director Perry was right for the part. While there is no reason to refute Goldberg's claim, the more I thought about it, the more I thought playing Chandler Bing on Friends may have helped prepare Matthew Perry for his role as Hudson Milbank. Chandler was either the butt of a joke or the comedian; his part was not built on subtleties, but rather the exact opposite set of emotions. Both Chandler and Hudson are struggling to transform themselves into responsible adults. Though Goldberg doesn't make this abundantly clear, many of Hudson's issues are a result of his relationship with his parents.

Though his parents appear only briefly in, Hudson's interactions with them tell us a lot about their effect on his life. His dad Peter (William B. Davis) coddles Hudson even though he has his own career and responsibilities. When Hudson starts to hyperventilate during a visit home, his mother insists he take care of it. In contrast, Hudson's father rushes his son to the emergency room. Scenes like that make you think that Hudson is a kind of man-child -- physically mature but mentally unable to handle the demands of an adult lifestyle.

On the other hand, Hudson plays an invaluable role in his writing partnership with Tom. He is the one who sells the scripts Tom writes. That is a very adult responsibility with a tremendous amount of pressure. In Sarah (Lynn Collins), Hudson finally finds someone who understands him and accepts him, quirks and all. She is really the first person who comes into Hudson's world and truly tries to understand how depersonalization disorder is affecting his everyday life.

Though the other actors in the film do an admirable job, the success of Numb rests squarely on the shoulders of Matthew Perry. Without his stunning ability to balance subtle humor with the depths of despair, the film would have been an unmitigated failure. By giving Hudson both neurotic and relaxed emotions -- sometimes changing in mere seconds -- combined with a vacant stare and not-completely-together appearance, Perry has created a believable and sympathetic character.

Article Author: Rebecca Wright

Rebecca is a freelance writer, concentrating in the areas of film, television and music criticism. Her B.A. is in the Humanities with an emphasis in film and writing.She holds an M.A. in American and British literature with an emphasis in dystopian …

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