Pretentious Twaddle: LOVE LIZA

wmcadams, I would like to take this opportunity to strongly, strongly, disagree with you. I loved this film and can understand why others might not. This is a film that is meant to strike, as you put it, a "spiritual, psychological, moral" cord in the viewer. In my opinion, if this is not touched upon for the audience member, it is nobodys fault but that viewer. That isn't to say that the viewer isn't intellectual or is stupid, but rather that they can't identify with this piece of work. It isn't the films fault that you can't identify with Hoffman. I however could and therefore loved the film. I loved his character and felt ever so sorry for him thanks to stellar acting and a script drenched with the entire spectrum of human emotion (happiness, sadness, love, hate, etc.).

I found that Philip Seymour Hoffman did a wonderful job in this film, the camerawork was BEAUTIFUL, Louiso's direction excited me for what may lie ahead for him, and the friendship between Hoffman and Walsh was sweet and rather touching. I also feel that Gordy Hoffman wrote a great script and I really did (as twisted as this sounds) find the suicide note somewhat comforting.

I am leveled by the fact that you loved L'AVVENTURA but are disgusted with the suicide's reasoning being unknown. That seems (sorry to sound rude) to be an example of the pot calling the kettle black. I think that the motive of the suicide isn't what the story is about, but rather Hoffman's journey to find himself just like L'AVVENTURA was about the relationship of the lovers as oppoesed to what happened to the missing girl.

Regarding your criticism of the film taking half of its time to say what one could have in 10 minutes; this comment is sheer folly. Of course the info could have been boiled down to 10 minutes, but couldn't this be said for any film? Just because information can be presented in a quicker manner doesn't mean that it has to be. Louiso is trying to let you view Hoffman's emotions, not simply listen to a psychiatrist spit out what could easily be established in a faster time frame.

As for the commentary being "ego-drenched and semi-literate" I would really like to see examples of this produced. All I can remember from the commentary was the men talking about how vital and important extras were and how they had a great cinematographer that would be at the head of the industry if it wasn't for sexism. I assume you are confused because if one is an independent filmaker talking about an independent film one has made, and how one filmed and financed this independent film, one must also talk about his or her background or in otherwords his or her self. It was never done in an arrogant way as suggested in your post, and Todd Louiso especially has always been noted for his kindness within the industry (ex. Stephen Frears dir. of High Fidelity calling him a sweet and kind man).

"Style is self-plagiarism" -- Alfred Hitchcock

I merely enjoyed this film. I would never watch it a second time, but I thought Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance was heartbreaking, but little else (aside from the soundtrack) tickled my fancy.

-Alec

This movie tried way to hard to be something profound, but in order for that to happen you should care about a single character in the film. Also, how the hell did Cathy Bates get all the stuff out of his house in such a short period of time by herself?

As someone who has been through the kind of depression depicted in the film, I have to put forth that the length of the film and seemingly long scenes of nothingness are very truthful. Without these, if the sickness had indeed been boiled down to 10 minutes, it would've been a cliff notes version and not really given you the feeling of what this experience is actually like. Although I was disappointed in the cryptic ending, I think it's a fantastic film for believably capturing something which is often never talked about.

I love when people miss the mark as you did on your review of Love Liza. It makes me realize that there are mountains yet to climb. You seem to be wanting more plot than character, which is fine. But you should have gone to a Ron Howard movie instead, seriously the creators of Love Liza didn't need your 7.50 that bad.

I somewhat agree with you take on PSHs career choices of late, but there is another board for that.

Back to the movie, let me sum it up by saying that this is one of those films where you must be fascinated by the journey not the destination. And to also appreciate this film you must agree that less is more (missing info on wife's death?).

If this is not you then you are in luck because you are in the majority and you have plenty of movies to choose from. I recommend 'Phone Booth'.

I am a recent Ivy league film school grad and should therefore, according to most, love Love Liza, however, I am in agreement with wmcadams on this pseudo mental insult to indie films. There are many contemorary films with slick indie looks and a certain tone that are in this false semi-literate level, 24 Hour Photo with Robin Williams comes to mind. The thing about Ozu's films, the thing about L'Avventura, the thing about The Last Detail, etc, the thing about these films that are possibly about nothing is that they are amazing displays of a range of human behvior. Love Liza is also about human behvior but it exists in a too narrow band width to be of interest. Even if it does accurately portray an angle on depression, so what? What about a film that accurately angles on the feeling of a broken leg? So what? It might have fared better as a novel, but to have engaged a crew and all that that entails just seems like a waste of time and resources to me. And then there's PSH rehashing his white bellied rehash of a a white bellied looser.

You obviously never got the film. It's quite simply one of the most beautiful, haunting, and darkly comic films in years. But then 'Punch Drunk Love' is one of my favourite films :)

iain
http://www.lynched.org/ - a guide to the work of David Lynch

This film is only what is there, that's true, and for viewers that want to feel dimensional happenings and fill in gaps, this film will not satisfy. However, for those that understand loss, and the frozen in time shock it leaves one with, this film is there the whole time. To have shared early in the film the WHY of the suicide would've betrayed the Hoffman character. He does not know, is not ready to know, and does not want to know. Loss is singular. The reasons are for the Hoffman character to wonder about, agonize over, and, eventually, acknowledge or ignore.

As for pretentious, which is basically the failing to reach a highly set ambition, I don't see that this film fits that only partly negative and wholly overused description. This film does not overreach, it simply gives us what is available and watches as the main character engages in some slight and rather comedic tributes to honor the loss and it's ensuing repercussions. This is an observant and balanced film and while your critique is well put and well thought out, it does not support such name calling as 'twaddle'.