valinvancouver Reviews

May December (2023)

Portrait of a narcissist (and the damage they do)

[8/10 · 20 January 2024]

Julianne Moore's character Gracie, who at 36 years of age "had an affair" with a 13 year old, is a narcissistic piece of work. I won't elaborate on this because the beauty of this movie is in the details. I'll just say Julianne is a true professional, and she perfectly inhabits this role.

Charles Melton's performance as Joe encapsulates the damage perpetrated by narcissists. It's great the script gives him an arc, however the spiritual defeat manifested in his physical posture alone carries the biggest punch of the movie, in my opinion. Without saying a word he ably conveys everything you need to know about the longterm effects of childhood sexual abuse.

Natalie Portman's character seems pretty narcissistic too. She gets a little inappropriate talking to a high school drama class about the filming of sex scenes. Like Gracie she takes for granted that her privilege gives her a pass, allowing her to completely overlook any discomfort she creates. I don't know much about actors and their research methods, but this movie suggests it's a fairly superficial endeavour (at one point Gracie outright states that it's a pointless endevour). Her trist with Joe exemplifies the fact she has no deep understanding of the complexity of the situation, or if she does she doesn't give a crap.

There is no "movie of the week" pseudodrama here. Just a serious analysis of the dynamics of fairly common emotional dysfunctions. You need to have at least a passing interest in psychology to appreciate this movie.

Orphan Black: Echoes (2023– )

Get through the first episode, the rest is golden

[8/10 · 13 December 2023]

I initially ditched this part way through the first episode but then I saw a youtube vid that made me want to give it a second chance. I ended up binging it, finding it pretty compelling from the end of the 1st episode onward. For fan service there's a couple of cameos from, and a few references to, Orphan Black. It wasn't hard to buy into the main lead being Sarah's daughter Kira as an adult. The sci-fi storyline is good. They took it a step further in using it to explore human connections, love and grief, and also varying viewpoints. This show has a lot of heart. The ending is clearly set up for a second season, I hope they renew it.

The Peripheral (2022)

Highly watchable

[8/10 · 15 October 2023]

This show jumps between two different years, 2032 (small town USA) and 2099 (London, England). In the former we are treated to endearing connections between family, friends and a band of brothers. In the latter we are treated to a visual feast, of world building, scene-chewing acting (in the best sense), and the opulent environs of the 3 main power brokers (I want that china set!).

I binged this show through to the end finding the whole thing very watchable. I don't know why so many people seem to have lost interest, I can only guess they were hoping for more than one instance of military-style action. I will say the final episode felt rushed, muting the emotional impact of some scenes. It clearly set the stage for a second season, that was initially green-lit but has since been canned, a casualty of the writer's strike presumably. Too bad.

The cast was excellent for the most part. The story wasn't perfect. There are things I could quible about but the main thing is I enjoyed the show quite a bit.

Deadloch (2023– )

Murder mystery with comedic elements

[8/10 · 9 July 2023]

It took a couple of episode but I became thoroughly charmed by this show and it's cast of characters. They are definitely all a little bit nuts, except for the put upon Senior Sargeant/Detective Dulce (played by an exceptional Kate Box). Some of the characters are exasperating and it was a pleasure to watch her efforts at maintaining a saint-like patience slowly give way to the point of her finally confronting some of them. Followed by mutual acceptance and cooperation. Except for James, he is never anything other than "a c---."

She and her detective partner, the hilariously obnoxious and inappropriate Eddie (the also great Madelaine Sami), struggle to put the pieces together and the viewer will likely beat them to it here and there, but the identity of the killer is well hidden until the end.

Maybe I enjoyed this show so much because I have a huge fondness for Australia and Australians, having lived there for a couple of years in my 20s. Some of the humour is Aussie-specific, like the choir's song choice. It was one of the Divinyls more mainstream hits but it's still a whack choice, made even funnier if you know the band's style and back catalog. Still I think almost everyone can relate to the humour of one character's overplaying of a certain other historical pop song.

All I can say is give it a couple of episodes of your time to see if it works for you.

Lovesong (2016)

Not what I was expecting

[8/10 · 20 March 2023]

I was expecting a simple 'girls falling for each other' story, with a happy ending. Instead, this is a gentle, low key story about two generally heterosexual old friends who's love for each other blurs the line enough to complicate their bond and connection, throwing them both for a bit of a loop. So it wasn't the typical lesbian romance I was hoping for but regardless I found it pretty deeply affecting, to the point I shed a couple of tears thinking about it a few hours later as I was driving to work (much to my surprise).

The movie invites us to think about it, as information is meted out slowly over the runtime. While we wait for the story to unfold we're treated to an absolutely stellar performance from Riley Keough playing the less secure, less adventurous member of a friendship that apparently started when they were 10 years old. Wow, that woman is a pro at expressing subtle non-verbal emotions! Jen Malone is also extremely watchable and puts in a convincing turn as the somewhat more extroverted friend.

I think what brought tears to my eyes was that it was all so relatable. I've read enough bad romance novels that I have a very low tolerance for plot macchinations in which true love is thwarted by stupid misunderstandings and miscommunications. Miscommunication does happen here, but it is eminently believable. The acting, writing and directing are all spot on. Despite the fact these two women are mostly straight and only gay for each other, even card carrying lesbians have likely experienced a lot of the same emotions and insecurities depicted here in the process of coming out to themselves and their first crush.

A League of Their Own (2022)

watch the whole series

[10/10 · 16 August 2022]

This series is made for women who love women, and their allies. As a lesbian who played competitive softball, I say the writing is amazing. Yet unsurpisingly, because of the subject matter, some of the negative review don't make sense. How much of the series did they watch? I say don't write this off, the last half is the best half.

From my perspective, this series provides a nuanced look at the historical landlmines queer women had to face, while highlighting the similarity in experience bewteen queer white and black women, then beyond that the experience black women face relative to white women. The black storyline is equally uwell done - after all, we're all just trying to follow our dreams or keep our piece of the pie, whatever our heritage.

This may not be your thing, but it has meaning to a lot of people. Does it matter less is these people are women? If so go eff yourself. Namaste.

More Beautiful for Having Been Broken (2019)

Beautiful

[7/10 · 17 May 2022]

This movie has a "Lifetime Channel" vibe that stays mostly in the background and is easy to ignore because the main story is extremely touching and the movie is often visually beautiful. There was a powerful dance sequence which was a nice touch. It would have been better if it was the only one, unfortunately they added a second sequence later that upped the cheese factor and distracted from the scene it was meant to mirror. Another thing I found annoying was the piecemeal way the background information was dribbled into the main story. I was also annoyed by the tired plot device used to generate some conflict toward the end ("I have something important to tell you...oh, it can wait.")

Complaints aside, I found it to be beautiful and comforting and worth the watch.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )

Promising

[8/10 · 14 May 2022]

When I was 8 or 9 years old back in the early 70s my brother would watch Star Trek every Sunday afternoon. It was "must see TV" and I wanted to like it. Some episodes were good, like the one when they found disfigured Pike living among aliens, but usually I would get bored and go outside to ride my bike. However, I don't think I'm going to have that problem with this show. Anson Mount makes an outstanding Captain Pike and I'm curious to learn about the rest of the cast as the series progresses. I'm probably the perfect target viewer for the show - I'm attached to the nostalgia of a throwback Star Trek series but not at all fussy about the exact details. What's important is they have preserved the most crucial characteristics of the original series, which are a diverse cast and a progressive star fleet.

Progressive shows with diverse casts are exactly what I want, and clearly the entertainment industry recognizes there's profitability in providing exactly that. This very fact gives me great pleasure, as does scanning the 1 star reviews filled with anti-woke outrage. Like this one:

"I'll never understand why companies refuse to create good content but instead lean on being woke in attempts to gathering a larger crowd. And it's hilarious how people fall for it."

This show has an 8.1 rating at this moment in time, so what's hilarious is this person's rant is the equivalent of someone pissing into the wind. The train has left the station dude, and no one cares that you're not on it.

The Wheel of Time (2021– )

I read the books, they are doing just fine

[9/10 · 21 November 2021]

Honestly, I found the first book to be a slog. However, they are doing a fine job of moving this section of the story along. There's 15 books of over a thousand pages each, so there's a LOT of adventures to come. People need to be a bit patient.

So far, three episodes in, my only real complaint is the Two Rivers village Emmon's Field is unrealistically clean and idealized. That in itself knocks it down a peg or two from Game of Thrones. However, I do suggest people try to stick with the show for a few more episodes. I'm on book six of the series and based on the books I fully expect the storyline to eventually become as complex and absorbing as GOT.

As usual there's some dude(s) in the comments complaining about "wokeness." I say suck it up, buttercup, it's about time more non-white actors got a regular paycheck.

There have been a few times I've thought about giving up on reading the books because of how annoyingly some of the women characters are portrayed in this 90's era series. Thankfully, the shows writers have made an effort from the start to tack away (somewhat) from the male-centricity of the storyline, and I trust they'll continue to make reasonable adjustments going forward.

The positives: the series is visually stunning, the actors appear to be perfectly cast for their roles, and the plot is ticking along nicely. I was expecting to be mildly disappointed but instead I'm intrigued to keep watching to see how they decide to navigate the abundant material the books present.

Yes, a lot is being skipped over (or even newly fabricated, such as Perrin's back story). That is not necessarily a bad thing in my view (at least Perrin now has a reason for being such a sad sack throughout the first book or two). Don't be put off by the negativity coming from the fanbase purists. There's just no possible way to cover every detail in the books. Non-the-less, it still has the potential to be a glorious ride.

Dexter: New Blood (2021–2022)

Hard to resist the nostalgia hit

[8/10 · 10 November 2021]

Dexter is most definitely back!

Michael C Hall continues to be fabulous in the role and even just watching him do the most mundane tasks of his seemingly ordinary life has us feeling tension...because we know. They still tease us with images of blades and blood, but they barely even have to because we're already past needing an introduction to this character.

I really loved that they jacked up the "wokeness" quotient by having a diverse cast. Despite the AWMs desire to denigrate it, being "woke" is something to celebrate. They keep complaining about it in shows and movies but clearly diversity and progressive politics is a winner for the studios bottom line or they wouldn't keep doing it. Plus it's like a breathe of fresh air for most of us viewers.

I also love that they brought Jennifer Carpenter back. Smart move. Also, I'm very intrigued with where Harrison's story line is going to go.

My only quibble is that, while I know first episodes always seem to need some dramatic hook, I felt towards the end of the episode they rushed events in a way that would have, in reality, created a logistical nightmare for Dexter and so were not in keeping with his character. I would have been happy with a 100% chill episode, in other words, just to avoid being pulled into my own head to mull over the things I thought were unrealistic. It's not like they would have lost any viewers by slowing their roll.

Serenity (I) (2019)

Avoid spoilers

[7/10 · 10 November 2020]

I found this to be an enjoyable movie. Some noirish aspects, some scenes tweeked just enough to make me curious about what kind of movie this really is, and a paradisiacal backdrop. It's not amazing but it is watchable, unless you actively dislike Matthew McConaughey and/or Anne Hathaway.

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)

Product of it's time

[6/10 · 12 September 2020]

It appears to be a young girl's dream, apparently depicting her sexual awakening. It did a good job of mimicking a dream, jumping around from scene to scene and sometimes being confusing or contradictory.

I give it 5 stars mostly because I felt indifferent to it, plus 1 star for having a consistent tone.

I don't think it would be acceptable these days for a 13 year old actress to appear nude on screen.

My male art school friend denies this movie sexualizes the lead (an adolescent girl) but I disagree. This is a good example of a movie filmed for the male gaze. Personally, I would rather watch a movie about a girl's sexual awakening that was made by women.

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (2020)

Deserves a higher rating

[10/10 · 23 May 2020]

This is a totally different animal from the previous seasons of Penny Dreadful. This is more like a noir mystery series/period drama with a clear plotline. If you try to appreciate it on it's own merits, like me you might discover it's so well crafted you can't help but be drawn in by the set, characters and acting. I've finished 4 episodes so far and keep thinking about it as I wait for more to air.

The entire cast does an awesome job but Natalie Dormer is spectacular in playing 4 different roles. I think she is hugely talented and is the reason I decided to give this season a shot, given I only made it through the first of the previous seasons.

Freaks (2018)

Your patience will pay off

[8/10 · 9 January 2020]

I found this movie a bit slow to gather up steam, but it kept me watching because I wanted to know more - is the girl's dad off his rocker or legitimately paranoid?

Overall, it was worth the wait, but my 8 star rating is mostly because of the climactic last half hour, which had me thoroughly engaged and talking to the characters on screen as though I was there...which isn't that strange a thing to do really, given all the other weird things going on in this movie.

Shout out to Grace Park, nice to see her in a sci-fi role again. And also Bruce Dern, who seems to have specialized in being endearing and annoying at the same time.

The Other Two (2019–2023)

A well-crafted skewering of today's pop culture landscape

[8/10 · 10 June 2019]

I've watched the entire first season and every episode has been loaded with "sick burns" at the expense of what passes for popular culture these days. "The Other Two" are the virtually washed up, late 20s siblings of the latest internet sensation, the Justine Bieber-ish Chase Dreams. Riding the fringes of their brothers success and celebrity, this show brilliantly illustrates the vacuity and cynical marketing of social media fame. The fact that it's all so recognizable makes me wonder why it hasn't been addressed head-on like this before.

Icing on the cake: people of all ages can enjoy it. The older siblings experience moments of growth and, as the trio's mother, Molly Shannon is a treat as a woman who willingly walks through every door that opens to her. And they do a decent job of wrapping the season up, finally bringing to light how her husband/their father actually died the year before (something they allude to all through the season).

Now Apocalypse (2019)

Wish I had this show when I was 20-something

[7/10 · 1 April 2019]

Anyone my age (55) and older that dislikes this show needs to think back to their own 20s and remember how clueless they were. This show is like a beginner's guide to having (and what to aviod in) a sex life and/or relationship.

I'm impressed by what I've seen so far (I'm writing this while watching episode 4). Yes, the show appears to be simplistic and has a plot that is mostly beside the point, but I think it's important to embrace this simplicity if you are going to enjoy the show.

The show is predominantly about human sexual interactions, many of which are transactional in nature. Regardless of Gregg Araki's filmography, I would say this is more a millenial- rather than a gay-oriented show; "Queer as Folk" this is not. What's even better, this show is both old-school and Progressive with a capital "P" at the same time. Old school because the situations these characters find themselves in have been played out repeatedly for ages. Progressive in that gender stereotypes are out the window, for instance the most masculine character in the show is also the most emotionally vulnerable.

Hopefully this show will continue to explore a broad gamut of the human emotional spectrum.

How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017)

If you liked Liquid Sky...

[8/10 · 16 September 2018]

The 70's punk setting of this movie is absolutely perfect. Punk had a do-it-yourself ethos and this movie overflows with a cheesy creativity to match. I once knew a group of artsy friends who would make their own movies for the sheer fun of it. This movie is something they could have created given enough money and some well-known actors. Some might see that as a bad thing, but I think it's pretty awesome. Liquid sky is the closest I can compare it to in terms of style and colour palette, except this movie is much more fun.

Nicole Kidman might seem an odd choice to cast as the leader of the punks, but she's a total pro and does an excellent job of it. As does the rest of the cast, for as ridiculous as the story is they really pulled me into rooting for them all.

If you are someone who enjoys recreational substances I suggest you partake before watching this, because it's pretty trippy at times.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

Fun enough but I have one big issue with it

[6/10 · 8 August 2018]

As you likely already know, this sequel takes place in the same place, with additional cast members, a few years removed from the original. Meryl Streep's character, Donna, passed away the previous year and her daughter finds herself pregnant in the midst of opening a gorgeous, seriously over-staffed hotel in tribute to her mother, with the weather and a potential break up with her significant other presenting challenges. The movie cleverly flashes back to the story of Donna as a young woman as she graduates from college, travels through Europe and has sex with three attractive men in short succession, although she swears she's not that kind of girl. Everyone looks fabulous, and with Donna's encouragement, they tend to throw caution to the winds.

Normally I'm as happy as the next movie-goer to indulge in a full blown, feel good fantasy - populated by fit and beautiful people - and I did mostly enjoyed this movie. However, the fat jokes were disappointing. The movie invites everyone to enjoy it's fantasy world for a couple of hours, but not so much if you're overweight. Instead, the only doses of reality the movie serves up are for the one chunky cast member, suggesting she's been of little interest to the hot stud until he's too old to sow his oats and that carbs may well be her soulmate (and why is she constantly eating?). Maybe this is the screenwriter's attempt to include a character that most middle aged women can relate to, but then Sophie's grandmother flat out warns her that doing something will make her fat, so I can't give them any credit for sensitivity.

As annoying as all that is, the most disturbing for me was the weird bait and switch they did in reintroducing one of the fathers. You think you're going to see Bill, but wait, could that obese man really be him? Oh no, it's a trick, that's actually Bill's twin brother. Ha ha ha. It's completely unnecessary and worse, it forces the movie-goer to be complicit in the joke, because we all know Bill wasn't that fat in the first movie. I'd bet most people were briefly shocked until they figured it out. I'm 25 lbs overweight and judge myself pretty much daily about it. I'd be fine with being confronted with my own fat phobia if I thought that was the point. Instead it just feels gross when it's simply meant to be a punchline.

So clearly the movie pushed my buttons, lol.

The Vicious Kind (2009)

A difficult but well told story

[7/10 · 16 September 2017]

As many reviewers have said, the acting is great in this movie. I even thought the actor playing the younger brother did a good job, given he was limited in what was mostly a supportive role. I have a new-found respect for Adam Scott's talents, as he nailed a very complex character here.

This is a raw, somewhat painful movie to watch. I actually skipped over the middle act because I was concerned about how they were going to handle the storyline. My fears were somewhat assuaged and I went back to watch it chronologically.

A history of betrayal in the family has estranged son from father, and a more recent betrayal has driven the son (Adam's character) to what appears to be the brink of sanity. Half the time his behaviour towards his younger brother's girlfriend is misogynistic and frankly inexcusable. Then he's spends just as much screen time breaking down emotionally and apologizing. It's infuriating because this kind of damaging emotional instability - extreme anger-induced verbal/other abuse towards women followed by remorse - is not exactly rare in our society. However, I think they did a reasonable job of not glossing over his bullshit behaviour and Emma is portrayed as having some fortitude in the face of his erraticness. Yes, annoyingly, she gradually becomes attracted to him (or more likely to his backstory as the black sheep of the family), but they make it clear in a more understated way that she has her own damaged psyche to contend with. Brittany Snow nailed her character as well I think, in a nicely nuanced performance.

The movie's final betrayal serves as a catalyst to some form of new awareness or growth for most of the main characters Thankfully the realistic tone of the movie held firm and they didn't resort to some rom-com happy ending, as I would have had to literally vomit if that was the case.

Below Her Mouth (2016)

Better on the second viewing

[9/10 · 4 August 2017]

I first saw and reviewed this movie in 2017, then this past week the title popped up while I was surfing the internet. I remember it had made an impression on me, so being curious as to how it would stand up I've just watched it a second time.

It was WAY better than I remembered! The words that come to mind are honest, raw and brave. I now see why it was chosen to premiere at TIFF!

I think a big part of the reason this movie doesn't have a higher rating is that initially the two main characters come across very poorly (which is probably why some people have trashed the acting). The movie opens with Dallas having checked-out sex then coldly dumping her girlfriend. She's a player and self-centered. At work Jasmine has no qualms about lying to get the job done. When the two meet at the bar Dallas is (in my books) off-puttingly aggressive. Jasmine, who's "straight" and engaged to a man, is eventually inticed into meeting Dallas for "just one drink." She sets boundaries which Dallas proceeds to trample all over. Jasmine allows herself to be seduced. A night of sex turns into a weekend of physical and emotional intimacy that shatters the carefully constructed walls our two leads have built around themselves. In my original review I complained about Dallas not have enough back story to allow me to feel empathy for her. I now think that I probably just missed some of what was said as Dallas mumbles a lot. I listened much more carefully this time around.

I called it a simple lesbian story before. Still true, but this one goes straight to the heart of the matter, whereas I feel most lesbian movies remain fairly superficial in this regard, mostly by checking off plot points that lead the viewer to believe the characters have fallen in love. This movie is much more visceral than that, likely due to the very explicit sex. It could have relegated this movie to the softcore bin, but instead it serves to validate the connection that forms between Dallas and Jasmine.

Once again I've been blown away by Natalie Krill's portrayal of a woman thrust into a maelstrom of emotions. She does the heaviest lifting here, but with this second viewing I have much greater appreciation for Erika Linder's portrayal of Dallas.

Hopefully this review helps you to go into this movie with an open mind.

Teen Wolf (2011–2017)

consistently high quality TV

[10/10 · 26 November 2016]

I've watched this series from the beginning. There's only one season (5) I felt the writing could have been better but all in all this has been one of the more consistently riveting TV shows I've had the pleasure of following...and I'm pretty selective about my TV viewing. I've given a lot of shows a shot but I follow very few. I think the title throws a lot of people off. I'm 52 for cripes sake, I'm not particularly into young adult TV, but this is way better than say Vampire Diaries (which I don't mean to diss, it had it's merits, but it was more of a soap opera and Teen Wolf is instead squarely focused on the action).

There's clearly a lot of money behind this show, given the quality of the production and special effects. Seriously, everything supernatural about this show is amazingly rendered, except (strangely enough) the transition of the alpha "teen wolf" which is really pretty cheesy. However, it's a pretty minor flaw considering the overall awesomeness of the rest of the show.

Other things I like about Teen Wolf:

The girls kick ass as much as the guys do. It's got a sense of humor. Virtually every episode has me on the edge of my seat. The cast is, for the most part, fabulous.

If you have any interest in supernatural story lines give it a go. I'm pretty sure you'll get sucked in.

I Origins (2014)

Beautiful and Touching

[8/10 · 19 December 2014]

From reading the reviews it's clear people either loved or hated this movie. This is probably less about the science vs spiritualism theme it explores and more about whether or not you enjoy a delicate, deliberately paced movie (which this is). Personally, I enjoyed pretty much everything about it. The characters felt very real to me, enough to make me teary a couple of times. The nature of lab work was also realistically portrayed, capturing the willingness of researchers to put months of work into often fruitless explorations. My only (minor) complaint is that Sophie could have used more character development, because she comes across as a bit of a one-trick pony. Maybe the writer thought making her mysterious would help sell the whole soulmate angle. However, giving the couple something more than just sex in common would have served much better. Then again, maybe that's the point - is it destiny or just hormones?

i think the ending is open to some interpretation. I thought it depicted the lead character's journey into greater open mindedness, whereas my friend chose to see it as more of a spiritual awakening. It's one of those things you have to decide for yourself I guess.

The Affair (2014–2019)

Shows promise

[7/10 · 15 October 2014]

I think the premise is promising and the pilot was solid. It's split into two parts, from the perspectives of each of the future adulterers, who have markedly different recollections of the same events.

Other reviews I've read seem to emphasize the "unreliability of memory" angle but I think there's more going on, as the lead characters are recounting the events to what is presumably an officer in a police interrogation room. The pictures they paint of themselves, and of each other, are clearly fabricated to some degree. The question is, by how much.

I have to fill this review out a bit more so I will say it's got some good actors. I just saw Dominic West in "Pride" which was a very good, true to life movie. I'm also pleased to see Joshua Jackson again, after Fringe ended it's run. Excellent show if you can just get through the bulk of the first season.

Dirty Girl (2010)

Deserves better from the critics

[8/10 · 9 February 2013]

This movie was rated 37% on Metacritic and 27% on Rotten tomatoes and honestly I think this is wrong, wrong, wrong. I expect this is because the title is misleading...the movie is not about a "dirty girl" at all, it's about a journey of discovery and maturation and the transformative power of friendship. The writing is not particularly sophisticated so in lesser hands the movie could easily have sucked. However the two lead actors were so engaging (and the supporting cast were also excellent) that what could have felt like a flat, unconvincing story was, in my opinion, extremely touching. I confess toward the end I was crying in sympathy for the loss experienced by the main characters. Thankfully, the final scenes in the movie turned this into a positive (and even mildly cathartic) experience. I had become invested in the characters (so you see, I cannot possibly trash this movie the way so many others have).

Damsels in Distress (2011)

Alternative "comedy" not for mainstream sensibilities

[7/10 · 9 February 2013]

I believe this movie successfully achieves it's goal of satirizing the young college-age intellectual (or asinine, as the case may be) mindset. The main characters ceaselessly spout all manner of opinions, generally in the guise of bettering the world and others, but their presentation is nothing short of self-congratulatory. Like many young adults, they are convinced their thoughts and actions are worthwhile, if not ground-breaking (international dance craze, anyone?).

This movie is definitely not for everyone. You have to be willing to be carried along by it, and I expect many people give up on it due to the absurdity of the characters. What this movies does have to offer is a palpable affection for the human condition and some really excellent performances, particularly by Greta Gerwig in her lead role as Violet.

If you like this movie, check out "Year of the Dog," which is similarly non-mainstream and somewhat edgier/better.