Miranda July's debut film is, at heart, a student film. The themes and characters are not as fully developed as they could be and, in part, this could be due to the sheer number of characters she has. The film follows two handful of characters in their interactions and search for a true connection.
Why is it a student film? Perhaps, it is the lack of confidence July may feel. She spells out every detail of the characters inner lives, but since they are not fully developed, the end result is not very satisfying. The characters "speechify" on and on, without impact. Two characters walking down a road that is a metaphor for life talk and talk until the emotional resonance of their journey has been talked away. Without constant self-reference, the characters could just walk and talk a la Before Sunset, which would have been more satisfying. There are quiet winning moments in the film, such as the encounter in the elevator of the art gallery, and more of those were necessary.
This movie is so self-conscious and precious, it clouds the emotional truth in the film. July works best in her stories regarding children; her adult stories pale in maturity. I never believed the relationship between the separated husband and wife and found the potshots at the art gallery to be juvenile. July's character is a wreck and a drama queen that was exhausting to watch. Quirky and imaginative does not mean behaving like a two-year-old.
I tried to imagine this as a literary novel, making up a realistic internal dialogue for the characters, but failed to be able to. The film is devoid of true characterization. This would have worked better as a 45 minute short film.
Why is it a student film? Perhaps, it is the lack of confidence July may feel. She spells out every detail of the characters inner lives, but since they are not fully developed, the end result is not very satisfying. The characters "speechify" on and on, without impact. Two characters walking down a road that is a metaphor for life talk and talk until the emotional resonance of their journey has been talked away. Without constant self-reference, the characters could just walk and talk a la Before Sunset, which would have been more satisfying. There are quiet winning moments in the film, such as the encounter in the elevator of the art gallery, and more of those were necessary.
This movie is so self-conscious and precious, it clouds the emotional truth in the film. July works best in her stories regarding children; her adult stories pale in maturity. I never believed the relationship between the separated husband and wife and found the potshots at the art gallery to be juvenile. July's character is a wreck and a drama queen that was exhausting to watch. Quirky and imaginative does not mean behaving like a two-year-old.
I tried to imagine this as a literary novel, making up a realistic internal dialogue for the characters, but failed to be able to. The film is devoid of true characterization. This would have worked better as a 45 minute short film.