You Wont Miss Me (2009) User Reviews

Some Fascinating Scenes But Meandering and Meaningless

[tabuno · 5/10 · 20 January 2019]

18 January 2009. This prolonged glimpse into the slices of experiences of this ordinary looking woman who leads a meaningless life as the daughter of a supposedly famous actress mother (a mother who seems mostly out of the picture of her daughter's life except by telephone) contains some interesting and compelling scenes. However, overall, it meanders in a way that seems boringly, uninteresting. Our star goes from one brief encounter with a male to another, from one audition to another, from one therapy session to another without really having any substantive encounters. The most fascinating scenes are the reactions of others to our female protagonist, especially the directors looking to cast their productions and the friends that surround her, particularly a mentally ill man. There is a riveting hotel scene that feels visceral and intensely compelling, except unfortunately the entire premise of the argument that led to the amazingly acted outbursts felt unreasonable and false to begin with. Our lead character also doesn't seem to even realize how she did in her auditions, seemingly at odds with the audiences own impressions. Perhaps, the movie is about a woman who really doesn't connect because she doesn't connect with herself, and therefore can't really connect with the audience. No matter how interesting the camera work, gorgeous the color photography and music, this movie can't overcome the senselessness of it all. In the end, this is a series of experimental scenes based on improv dialogue which to its credit is among the best element of the movie, an attempt at providing the audience with some performed experiences based on ideas that were thought to be of some value to the audience, perhaps maybe to those who have lived the actors' life, but little else for others who haven't been there. Screened at Sundance Film Festival.

Best of MethodFest

[WPSdirector · 10/10 · 29 March 2009]

Just saw this incredibly dynamic, kinetically charged film at MethodFest and it really shook me up. Perhaps partly because I aspire to this level of film-making, perhaps partly because it's one of the most honest, gripping and fiercely performed films I've seen in years -- I just lost myself in its tonal poetry, sexual urgency and cathartic danger.

Ry Russo-Young was not only able to assemble a sparkling, freshly defiant cast -- but make what I would call a "complete" film --- the type of film that can only be created by a unique filmmaker with a strong, singular vision. The bombastic ride she takes us with with her lead actress (Stella Schnabel in a gut-wrenching, breakout performance) is like a tapestry of love, sex, deceit, failure and life.... always life, brimming on the streets of New York, in the audition rooms of pretentious theatre directors, in the heartbreak of a girl so sure of herself, she can't realize how broken she very well might be. See it, request it, watch it. WPS

Difficult to watch but nonetheless brilliant

[Aristides-2 · 9/10 · 16 November 2012]

I would be hard pressed to think of a movie I've seen......and I'll make a guess that I've seen upwards of 5000.....that has such a difficult to like leading character in it yet is so brilliant in depicting the almost constant chaos that comprises this young woman's life. I didn't think I would be able to endure it, not the least of it because the production design and the camera work augment her fractious state of mind. But I'm so absolutely pleased that I gave You Wont Miss Me a chance since the conception is so finely realized; it's almost like a surreal/real documentary of what her life is. Having said all of the above I can also fully understand why the movie would turn off audiences because of its lack of artifice. It's a fully realized and original movie.

takes you in

[cekadah · 8/10 · 2 December 2012]

while watching this movie i felt as if i were entering into her life as part of it. then suddenly you are a spectator of her story. then back to being part of her story.

the viewer cannot 'not' get involved with this main character. the style of filming takes you in. you will hate her and you will feel sorry for her and you will like her, etc.

the previous reviewers have already stated much of my thoughts and i agree with them. the director has taken something that could pass as a 'home movie' and made it 'high cinema'.

i particularly liked her feeling of freedom while riding the motorcycle. maybe she felt as if she were flying free of the boundaries in her daily life.