Every since Madonna effortlessly blew Rosanna Arquette off the screenin "Desperately Seeking Susan", I have considered Arquette to be a light-weight. After having watched this film, I see no reason to change that estimation. Arquette spends the whole movie breathlessly assuring us that she *is* talented and creative, and is seeking outlets for her creativity, but Hollywood won't allow it. If this film is an example of her creativity, then one can understand how she was overwhelmed by Madonna, who truly *is* both talented AND creative.
The documentary is of interest, however, even though the filming and editing is on a level with movies about a child's birthday party. Arquette has assembled an astonishing group of women who seem to talk freely about their lives as "movie stars". Sometimes it's painful to watch, like Laura Dern who seems to be imploding before our eyes. Other times, it's same-ole, same-ole as female after female talks about the importance of her children and balancing them with her career -- interestingly all of these children seem to have been the products of immaculate conception since NONE of the women talk about husbands or mates. Robin Wright Penn, who is married to Sean Penn, refers to him once as "he", and that's it.
But the movie is worth sitting through just to hear and watch and appreciate Jane Fonda, whose time comes at the end. She does a long riff, full of details, about what she misses about acting. Listening to her and watching her, you appreciate her intensity and her craft's technique. Fonda, also, is both talented and creative, and if Arquette had any idea how she would stack up in comparison with the strong and enviable women she blithely films for us ... she wouldn't have done it.
The documentary is of interest, however, even though the filming and editing is on a level with movies about a child's birthday party. Arquette has assembled an astonishing group of women who seem to talk freely about their lives as "movie stars". Sometimes it's painful to watch, like Laura Dern who seems to be imploding before our eyes. Other times, it's same-ole, same-ole as female after female talks about the importance of her children and balancing them with her career -- interestingly all of these children seem to have been the products of immaculate conception since NONE of the women talk about husbands or mates. Robin Wright Penn, who is married to Sean Penn, refers to him once as "he", and that's it.
But the movie is worth sitting through just to hear and watch and appreciate Jane Fonda, whose time comes at the end. She does a long riff, full of details, about what she misses about acting. Listening to her and watching her, you appreciate her intensity and her craft's technique. Fonda, also, is both talented and creative, and if Arquette had any idea how she would stack up in comparison with the strong and enviable women she blithely films for us ... she wouldn't have done it.