The Big Picture

Asleep in My Palm
focuses on the relationship between a father and daughter living on the margins.
The film’s strength lies in the performances of Tim Blake Nelson and Chloë Kerwin.
Despite some flaws, the portrayal of the characters and their dynamic is emotionally impactful.

Though the fact that the great actor Tim Blake Nelson was recently cut from Denis Villeneuve’s staggering sci-fi vision Dune: Part Two was heartbreaking to hear as his deleted scenes will likely never see the light of the day, there is a solution to be found in his latest feature Deep in My Palm. Not only is this a film that is entirely built around the veteran performer for those who were looking for more of him on their screens, but it is also quite good. Sure, it doesn’t take place on a faraway planet with immense spectacle, but it still finds something magnificent in the power of a good performance. Even as it can be a little shaky narratively here and there, including in its ending that is a bit of a dodge, just seeing Nelson work is always worthwhile. Written and directed by the actor’s son, Henry Nelson, it is a portrait of people living a life on the margins of society that is defined by uncertainty.

What Is ‘Asleep in My Palm’ About?

The film begins with Tom (Nelson) who is living with his daughter Beth Anne (Chloë Kerwin) in a storage unit in rural Ohio. Tom has made it into as hospitable a place as he can and tells her a story, a revealing riff on Chicken Little, before heading out for the night. He relies on stealing bikes for survival, targeting a liberal arts college where they are readily available, before taking Beth Anne out for something to eat. While there, Tom rails against the privileged students and expresses excitement that they will soon be going home. The father and daughter then proceed to wander around the campus, enjoying their time together while also eventually becoming confronted by the fact that they will have to take shelter from the cold by the time night comes. There is a sense of enjoyment threaded throughout the experience, with Tom saying that it is important to have an adventure, but there remains a persistent sense that this is not a sustainable life for either of them. While some character background details come tumbling out naturally, others burst out in unexpected moments, like in a conversation with a gas station attendant about being a veteran that rattles Tom. Even when Beth Anne asks him about it out of a sense of compassion, the walls go up and he pushes her away. Such moments always seem to pass, they’ll take off running to find something else to do to remain active, and we will see the daughter beginning to see her father in a new light.

The film is often unrushed, as extended conversations take place just between Nelson and Kerkin without any other actors. However, the film doesn’t feel slight or constrained. Instead, like other recent great films about fathers and daughters have done so well, Asleep in My Palm comes to life in the small details. Even when it can be a little blunt in how it’s written, flagging up some of its themes and ideas through occasionally stilted dialogue, just getting to observe the two characters together in small moments is where the emotions start to grab hold of you. Every time we step away from the scenes of Beth Anne and Tom, unfortunately, rarely staying with the former on her own to see what she makes of the world when not with her father, it carries less resonance. In one scene about midway through, the patriarch goes to unload some of the bikes with the troubled Jose (Jared Abrahamson) and ends up feeling slightly contrived in the conflict it creates. Instead of being about how the father and daughter are gradually drifting apart, it is rushed when everything else that preceded it was more patiently executed. Sometimes, less can be more in films built around familial relationships.

What helps to get things back on track is the way that this becomes a microcosm of an entire trajectory. We can see how Beth Anne is outgrowing the life her father has tried to build for them as the confined space of the storage unit seems to grow smaller and smaller with each passing moment. A sudden escalation with Tom is most valuable in what it reveals about his priorities and how cold he has grown in his isolation. Even when some of the other elements of the film can be more haphazardly sketched, the contrast between the two that the actors capture is where it cuts deeper. Each, in their distinct way, elevates the experience.

Tim Blake Nelson and Chloë Kerwin Hold ‘Asleep in My Palm’ Together

From the moment the story steps away from the more forced escalations, Asleep in My Palm smooths over any of its flaws. While this isn’t the best thing Nelson has done recently, as that still goes to his performances in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and the recent Watchmen series, the way he can make the most of every simple scene remains unparalleled. The tragedy that he can hold in Tom’s eyes or the slight shake in his voice over the struggles in his life makes it clear that he has been carrying something with him for some time. Even when we get a more thorough explanation of this background that proves unnecessary, demonstrating a slight lack of confidence in itself, his performance still speaks volumes all on its own.

When balanced alongside Kerwin, who is quite impressive in her feature debut, a more impactful portrait begins to emerge. Just one line that she gets near the end is tragic yet effective as we feel Beth Anne’s desperation to connect with someone, anyone, other than her dad. Even with all the film’s imperfections in how it’s told, the duo of leads is what gives it life. We may never see what Nelson was doing with his small part in the world of Dune, but it is his work in smaller films Asleep in My Palm that may just help to heal the wound.

Asleep in My Palm REVIEWTim Blake Nelson and Chloë Kerwin give life to Asleep in My Palm, helping to smooth over the narrative rough spots when it count. ProsTim Blake Nelson is able to make the most even the most simple of scenes, capturing the sadness of his character in just his eyes.In her feature debut, Chloë Kerwin gives a great performance that balances out some of the more shaky elements.The film brings the necessary patience when it counts to cut a bit deeper. ConsSome of the conflicts that get introduced can feel contrived.The film has a slight of confidence in itself, spelling things out when the performances already spoke volumes.

Asleep in My Palm is now in limited theaters in the U.S. Click below for showtimes.

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