Movies: Inside Moves

Richard Donner’s 1980 drama, written by Barry Levinson from Todd Walton’s novel

What begins as a sad, dissonant tale of a jittery, disowned young man who hurls himself from a skyscraper in the middle of the downtown daylight becomes the tale of metamorphosis. It’s a quiet and classic story. Most of the major points are made offscreen — part of an unheard yet moving introspection — and the film’s theme, egoism, is abstract.

Inside Moves is the simple title of Richard Donner’s 1980 film. It’s a soft, gentle and purposeful film starring John Savage as the mysterious loner who, for whatever reason, becomes alienated, displaced and severely depressed. A pinball machine is the only reference to Donner‘s blockbuster 1978 success, Superman, starring Christopher Reeve. But this motion picture, based on the Doubleday novel by ex-high school athlete Todd Walton, is a heroic offshoot.

How, why and whether a troubled young man, whose troubles remain…