Fear, Anxiety... is interesting in a perverse way. It's disowned by Solondz and is now sort of this bad secret in the closet, sought after by Solondz fans. Its like being a Kubrick fan and wanting to see Fear and Desire, or a Johnny Depp fan wanting to see The Brave. No matter how bad the films may be and despite the filmmaker's wishes that the film would just be forgotten, we still want to see them. Well, Solondz is fairly justified in his feelings, because Fear, Anxiety... has all the marks of a unsure first time director- continuity errors, lackluster composition, flat jokes, and Solondz's one whining, nebbish note of a performance.
And, there is the Woody Allen element as well; the film is another urbane, New York hipster, intellectual, artistic referencing, relationship comedy like Allen pretty much coined with Annie Hall, Manhattan, and so on. Solodnz's similar looks, and passive struggling artistic, romantic loser underdog character, really doesn't help detract from Allen comparisons. Even the finale of the film is almost lifted straight from Annie Hall, where Solondz's Ira, finally realizes he let the girl slip through his fingers- she is living with a more successful artist, like Keaton's, Annie shacking up with Paul Simon's Tony Lacey in LA, and Ira writes a play about his relationship woes with actors portraying himself and the girl, just like in Annie Hall. There is also the inclusion of Ira's egotistical, womanizing, best friend sidekick that might as well be Tony Roberts. Now, how much of this was the studios doing, trying to manufacture a new Allen, and how much was Solondz unintentionally/intentionally mimicking, we may never know? I chalk it up to first time director folly, having a three picture deal shoved in his face before he was really ready.
The film is worthwhile for a few curious hints. The dark humor, or finding humor in difficult subjects that Solondz so masterfully handles in Welcome to the Dollhouse and Happiness is there, such as when his girlfriend tries to commit suicide and swallows an entire bottle of pills, literally, she swallows the bottle. There is also mention of AIDS, a hanging, jumping off of bridges, vomiting performance art, and people falling into comas and so forth, and generally the film tries to find laughs in the lovelorn and unsuccessful. So, in a way, you can see hints of the brilliance Solondz would later offer, although those moments are rather few and far between. The other curious thing, is Solondz being the central character, since he is a rather guarded, private man, now. It is interesting to see him trying to act and being goofy, especially so in his musical number singing `A Neat Kind of Guy' (a song that sticks in your head long after the films over), and just being the films general focal point. Overall, it's just an odd footnote (a VERY ODD footnote) in a creative career that has vastly improved. It is an awkward film, that wouldnt be interesting at all if Solondz hadnt gone on to better things.
And, there is the Woody Allen element as well; the film is another urbane, New York hipster, intellectual, artistic referencing, relationship comedy like Allen pretty much coined with Annie Hall, Manhattan, and so on. Solodnz's similar looks, and passive struggling artistic, romantic loser underdog character, really doesn't help detract from Allen comparisons. Even the finale of the film is almost lifted straight from Annie Hall, where Solondz's Ira, finally realizes he let the girl slip through his fingers- she is living with a more successful artist, like Keaton's, Annie shacking up with Paul Simon's Tony Lacey in LA, and Ira writes a play about his relationship woes with actors portraying himself and the girl, just like in Annie Hall. There is also the inclusion of Ira's egotistical, womanizing, best friend sidekick that might as well be Tony Roberts. Now, how much of this was the studios doing, trying to manufacture a new Allen, and how much was Solondz unintentionally/intentionally mimicking, we may never know? I chalk it up to first time director folly, having a three picture deal shoved in his face before he was really ready.
The film is worthwhile for a few curious hints. The dark humor, or finding humor in difficult subjects that Solondz so masterfully handles in Welcome to the Dollhouse and Happiness is there, such as when his girlfriend tries to commit suicide and swallows an entire bottle of pills, literally, she swallows the bottle. There is also mention of AIDS, a hanging, jumping off of bridges, vomiting performance art, and people falling into comas and so forth, and generally the film tries to find laughs in the lovelorn and unsuccessful. So, in a way, you can see hints of the brilliance Solondz would later offer, although those moments are rather few and far between. The other curious thing, is Solondz being the central character, since he is a rather guarded, private man, now. It is interesting to see him trying to act and being goofy, especially so in his musical number singing `A Neat Kind of Guy' (a song that sticks in your head long after the films over), and just being the films general focal point. Overall, it's just an odd footnote (a VERY ODD footnote) in a creative career that has vastly improved. It is an awkward film, that wouldnt be interesting at all if Solondz hadnt gone on to better things.