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Pretty smartly David is on the train to Atlantic City, home of the Boardwalk and casinos as far as the eye can see. Curiously David is met by a strange woman who parades just like a beauty queen, only then revealing that she's Sally (Ellen Burstyn), a friend of Jason's. He'd arranged the whole affair, complete with out of tune brass band, but has been unavoidably delayed. The problem is that Jason's stuck in a police cell on a jumped up felony charge, though he'll get out on bail if David contacts an associate named Lewis (Scatman Crothers). Surrounded by criminal cronies and rough-looking types, Lewis looks the part of a small-time gang boss. David fails to attract his attention, though Jason still gets out eventually.
Naturally excited to be with his rarely-seen brother, Jason introduces his sort- of girlfriend Jessica (Julie Anne Robinson), actually Sally's stepdaughter. The trio seem to survive on dreams and hustling, pushing for a buck whenever there's the chance. Times are changing though, according to Jason. He reckons that he's on the verge of a huge business deal, tying down the rights to a Pacific island and making them all millionaires. David remains cynical, having seen these "get rich quick" schemes and fantasy plans before. Jason is kin though so he at least deserves the benefit of the doubt. Besides Jessica is rather attractive and a possibility far removed from staid Philadelphia. The only cloud on the horizon is Lewis, less than pleased with his occasional employee Jason.
The King of Marvin Gardens is a strange piece, not particularly concerned with going anywhere and shot through with an improvisational feel. The basic story of how Jason plans to buy up a remote island using his boss' money is central yet it's most important role is as a jumping off point for the characters. Their actions revolve around the pursuit of this dream while every reaction highlights the strains in the web of relationships. Jason toys with both Sally and Jessica, mostly with their consent and happiness, but doesn't really care for either. Instead he purports to favour David, actually loving himself far more. David is just there to be pumped for a commitment to his pathetic plans, to have his shy nature played upon (which doesn't help him get any loving from Jessica). What a tangled but realistic set-up.
Nicholson takes an excellent stab at his role and, for him, plays his scenes with appropriate restraint. It's a refreshing change not to see him go totally over-board for once. Though nominally a city celebrity, David still lives a sheltered life with his grandfather and appears somewhat taken aback by tawdry New Jersey. It's an unsettling place where everyone's a grifter and bizarre occurrences go unnoticed. Radically different, Dern shows Jason as a man on the edge - half bullish confidence, half fragile and easily perturbed ego. He lives for his dreams, but that's all that they'll remain while he runs from the real world. For completeness, Burstyn is fine as a faded beauty, pained by the fickleness of men and emotionally destabilised. Outwardly abrasive she is really quite sad, over-hauled by the younger Jessica.
Technically The King of Marvin Gardens is competent, reaching for greatness in the area of lighting, colour and visuals. Laszlo Kovacs churns out a selection of exquisite shots, framing the characters in unusual ways and reflecting the tone of a scene by manipulating the light available. This is an interesting, if tragic, film which deals with believable people in a crazy world - then bookends them with a sly spin on reality.
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