Written by Abby Chadwick, Photo courtesy of Blackbird Films
‘Porcupine,’ written and directed by M. Cahill, takes an in-depth look at the ideas of family dynamics and whether those dynamics succeed in connecting or dividing those that are a part of it.
The film follows Audrey, a vibrant yet lonesome twenty-something-year-old, who is constantly on the move. In the past two years, she has lived in four different places and has had seven different jobs. She is estranged from her own family and after her boyfriend leaves her out of the blue, she is left with no stable relationships in her life. However, this all changes when she gets an internet ad for something called “Adult Adoption.” Essentially, older adults adopt younger adults to fulfill the human need for connection and family values. Through this process, Audrey meets Sunny and Otto who introduce her to their lives and family. However, this pairing is not a perfect fit, and Sunny and Otto are not the most perfect couple. Audrey’s experiences with Sunny and Otto are difficult, honest, real, awkward and at times truly touching.
Unlike many other blockbusters out there, ‘Porcupine’ does something very peculiar and focuses mainly on the mundane parts of life. Each scene has a particularly quiet nature. The scenes of Audrey watching dog videos on her phone or singing to herself in her car not only appear as relatable to the audience, but they’re almost refreshing. For so long, films have been dominated by extraordinary characters going on extraordinary journeys and living extraordinary lives. However, real life is not nearly this exciting and by focusing on themes such as loneliness, regret and generational divides, ‘Porcupine’ takes on the arduous task of presenting life not as one wishes it was, but as it is.
Understanding and isolation are the most prevalent themes. When one is alone, there is no need for understanding from others because the only person who truly knows them best is themself. However, when Audrey introduces herself to the lives of Sunny and Otto, there is a sort of divide between them that takes time to overcome, particularly with Otto. For example, while he does not believe in the internet, Audrey has had to become so self-sufficient that she depends on the internet to learn tasks to make and save money. Also, while Otto’s relationship with his children consists of screaming at them until they learn to perform tasks his way, Audrey encourages him to be more compassionate and actually listen to them. The two of them learn things from each other. There is a connection between them based not on relatability but instead on the understanding of the isolation they both live in.
The irony is that there is not a single mention of a porcupine in the entirety of the film. However, if you really think about it, each and every character has their own sort of quills and their own defense mechanisms against those who do not understand them. It takes a special kind of trust and an even rarer sort of compassion to see past these quills at who a person really is, even if it is just for a second.
