Writing the Adult in the Room

 

The late film director Garry Marshall said he tried to cast at least one adult in every movie he made. Most commonly, that adult was Héctor Elizondo. Truly, Mr. Elizondo was in every feature film that Garry Marshall directed. 

Good looking, engaging, with presence far exceeding his stature, Mr. Elizondo has something else that few actors have, self-possessed maturity. No matter the role—hotel manager, garbage man, cop—his characters know their place in the world and in relation to the other characters. His voice of reason is never whiny or stilted. He does not suffer from stick-up-anatomy syndrom.

He’s never the bellowing police lieutenant in the buddy picture. Purportedly he won’t take roles that are punched out of stereotypes or demeaning to latinos. That self-respect, along with a healthy dose of “no small roles, only small actors” lends great gravity to his work. 

Lending a hand or doing the heavy lifting?

Often depicted as the bumbling sidekick, Watson is the rent-come-due-practical adult in the room who keeps Sherlock Holmes from flying off the rails. In Caleb Carr’s The Alienist, Dr. Kreizler, is the adult and the chief detective in a disparate squad of sleuths. More than simple hierarchy or narrative choice, Kreizler is just as traumatized and scarred as his fellows but he has mastered his emotions, his desires, and his psyche. 

Thankless and seamless 

Richard Gere and Julia Roberts shine in Pretty Woman but it is the afore-mentioned Mr. Elizondo who is the bedrock of Mr. Marshall’s best-known film. More professional than paternal, Barney Thompson, (Elizondo) the hotel manager is primarily interested in providing his customer (Gere) with a pleasant hotel-stay, while establishing that he will not tolerate a woman of Vivian's (Roberts) frequenting his establishment. In the course of his duties, Barney instructs Vivian in decorum as an authority figure, working within the bounds of his responsibility, not from the deep well of ego. 

You know it ain’t easy

In Michael Mann’s Thief  Frank moves through a life where you are either a predator or you are prey. Frank is a highly specialized predator and he works deep to avoid much larger monsters, (the Chicago mob) as well as the carrion eaters, (the police). He knows his niche and sticks to it—until he sees a chance to catch up on decades of life lost to prison. Unwilling to be a piece in someone else’ game, Frank pays a heavy price to live as a grown up.

Somebody has to be the bad guy

Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohaim does not cast herself as Jessica’s tormentor no more than she considers herself Paul Atriades’ nemesis. Much like Barney Thompson, she’s simply the sheriff who keeps the peace and enforces the law. The Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, (more intellectual geneticists than religious order) has determined that the survival of mankind depends on a strict breeding program. Her role is to prevent deviations from the program and, failing that, preventing deviations from compounding into disasters. It’s thankless work. 

Too much of a good thing is DRAMA

In Ridley Scott’s genre-crossing masterpiece Alien we have three grown ups—surprisingly enough they don’t get along. Captain Dallas, (Tom Skerrit) is a journeyman. He neither owns the ship he skippers, nor did he pick his crew. So, when he is ordered to investigate a distress call, he certainly doesn’t have the authority to decline. What he has is the power of personality to compel his band of skeptical, irreverent civilians to follow orders. 

Chief Engineer Parker, (late-great Yaphet Kotto) is the career technician. He knows his job, like the ship, inside-out and won’t budge on his principles—until countered by an overwhelming, or-you’re-fired force. Warrant Officer Ripley is the new blood. A young, skilled-professional woman, she is by-the-book even (especially?) when it draws her into conflict with everyone. 

An obvious allegory for professional women everywhere, Ripley is the voice of reason. That voice is ignored to everyone’s detriment. It’s no coincidence that she is the only surviving Nostromo crew member.

Ultimately, your story needs an adult to address the elephant in the room. Warning: the following examples are wildly paraphrased and any likeness to actual dialogue (living or dead) is purely coincidental. 

We must make our stand here, on this little moon, against the ultimate power in the galaxy, or more planets will suffer the fate of Alderaan. —General Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan

No, we’re not trained investigators, we’re not the killer’s target, and we certainly have no actual authority but if we don’t stop this Jack-the-Ripper in New York, more children will be viciously slaughtered. —Dr. Laszlo Kreizler

This hotel caters to specific clientele. Our guests expect the best service possible and we make allowances to ensure that they enjoy their stay. Mr. Lewis is just such a guest. I am willing to accept you here to make Mr. Lewis happy just as long as you and I understand that once Mr. Lewis is gone, you will be too. —Barney Thompson

Ultimately, the adult in the room is not for the good girl/guy, the bad guy/girl, or even in service to them. The adult in the room is there in service to the reader.

The photo above, "Dune" movie poster, is the property of Waner Bros. Pictures. It is used here for illustrative/educational purposes covered under the Fair Use Act.