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Review of Film Festival screening...

posted 18 years ago by devolution
3 replies | jump to latest

I went with my girlfriend to the Ashland Independent Film festival and we watched a 'Rough Cut' version of the film.
In a few words, this was an absolutely dreadful film.
We had seen some interesting pictures and words in the film festival programme about this, but it turned out to be far from the dreamy, romantic type film that it was promoted as.
(See http://www.ashlandfilm.org/FilmDetails.asp?View=Film&FilmID=89)
The leading actress was extremely annoying - flat, noisy, with the kind of voice that fingernails down a blackboard remind you of!!!

The film consisted of over-the-top innuendo and meaningless sexual acts and was so shallow, and considering Jaglom's wonderful Deja Vu film, we had expected something similar, but were so disappointed. My girlfriend walked out of the film near the end because it was so bad and crass, and afterward we heard many people saying it was the worst, or one of the worst films they had ever seen.
One guy even joked as far as he wanted to kill himself!

All-in-all this is the kind of film that might destory your career, even for an independent director. There is nothing redeeming about it!!

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[–] siouix 17 years ago

Having just seen the "premiere" screening at AFI Film Festival in Hollywood, I agree with first poster. AWFUL! HORRIBLE! TEDIOUS! Lead actress was beyond annoying, no way would she be having relationship with the young actor. Several people walked out during screening, then afterwards, the egomanic Jaglom would not cut short his yakking even though there was a line of people waiting to get in for next AFI film. He said "I don't care." Many more walked out during his yakking, and I am one of them. But he does have a faithful following who were very moved by the movie and seem to worship this little man.
Jaglom prides himself that many girlfriends have told him he is a like a women with a penis, he shared with us. I am a woman, and I don't think he "gets" women at all, in fact I find him to be very patronizing to females in his films.
Sorry, Mr. Jaglom.

[–] g_barba-1 17 years ago

I do agree with you, the lead actress's character was beyond annoying in a manic way. I still don't understand why she was brought in to live in the mansion as a prospective "talent". Despite having to sit through the equivalent of a bad date which is how I equate dealing with her character, it was well acted. It dragged on for a while before I figured out that this was going to be something other than a revival of "Hurly Burly".

There were several bright spots to this film that did in fact make it enjoyable, mostly David Proval's character and his partner who was played very well by Zack Norman. I could have been better if the protagonist would have been more endearing.

[–] Stephenpdixon 17 years ago

i completely disagree with your review of the film. i don't know how different the "rough cut" was to the finished product, but i left the theater feeling very entertained! and the crowd in the house seemed to agree (i saw this movie at an art house in NYC, so it wasn't your typical multiplex crowd) did it ever occur to you that the lead actress was supposed to be annoying? she obviously turned out to be a conniving bitch in the end, so maybe she wasn't going for likeable. the rest of the ensemble (especially justin kirk)was pitch perfect, and overall i found this film to be more involving than HJ's improviational works like Eating and Going Shopping. i recommend it, although you do have to suspend your disbelief that somebody would invite a total stranger to move into a guest house. but that's my only reservation.