Welcome to Hollywood, Nova Scotia style ...
This film -- 'KUNG FU ELLIOT' -- this travelogue of the desperation of the human soul to make a spot on this Earth in the strange and wonderful thing called 'Movies' was truly an excellent documentary.
The real-deal Nova Scotia people that inhabit 'KUNG FU ELLIOT' could have been hired out of Central Casting from 'NORTHERN EXPOSURE' ... all yearning, dreaming and hoping beyond hope that doing these little Martial Arts epics from Elliot & Linda maybe then it's time for their 15 Minutes of Fame.
Wait - maybe except for Elliot's girlfriend, financier and co-director of his mini-epics, Linda ...
She did these, did whatever it was he wanted because she simply wanted to be loved -- adored and respected for her being her.
This is indeed a woman who's bent over backwards in this life in the name of Love ... only to have her legs kicked out too many times. For me, Linda was the hero of the film.
I hope she finds that certain someone -- that significant other that'll love her as-is and not for what she'll do for them.
Now, as regards Elliot -- the subject of this documentary ... his humanity, his needs, his hungers kept slipping out as the film progressed --
-- and alas, he had a camera crew following every move. (Yikes) Such is life.
I was most impressed at the catch it on the fly happenings by the documentary's co-directors Jaret Belliveau and Matt Bauckman. These guys have a heck a future if they want. In fact, I'd bet a dollar and a doughnut that if they were to make some fictional films along these lines of this bittersweet human dramedy -- they'd do well.
I highly suggest those reading this ... do see this film and especially if you're a film-maker, it should be required viewing.
Most of all, Elliot -- the wanna-be Canadian action hero -- really wanted to be a movie star ... and no matter how many pasts he had to invent, the only thing, (like most of us) that got in his way, was himself.
Ultimately, this is a documentary worthy of an Oscar consideration. BRAVO-!
D.A.