The Film Junkie

There are certainly a lot of complaints people could have about this movie: it is slow, nothing major happens, the characters are all females encountering some kind of emotional revelation, etc.  However all these complaints are really what make this film work for me: it is slow because the process of realization is slow in real life and doesn’t always come with a lightbulb or a John Williams score, the events that happen are personal and major to each woman at that moment in her life, the characters are females encountering themselves and one another, what other film can say that?

I first saw this film in film school six years ago and we studied the brilliant framing and lighting as well as some of the performances.  Looking at it now, I am still amazed and taken aback by the loveliness of this film.  Glenn Close, Calista Flockhart, Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Holly Hunter, Valeria Golino and Cameron Diaz give this film their all.  I usually can’t stand Diaz, but her scene with her character’s sister (Brenneman) discussing a lonely woman who killed herself is probably the best performance she has ever given.

Of all these women, by favorite work is done by Hunter as Rebecca, a bank manager who becomes unexpectantly pregnant by her married boyfriend.  The scene when she is leaving the clinic is a masterpiece of acting, completely unpredictable and raw.  I also love the work by Close as Elaine, the doctor consulting a tarot card reader (Flockhart).  As Flockhart’s Christine reads the cards, the camera stays perfectly still on Close’s face as it remains still and flickers with hints of emotion at the accuracy of the reading.  Close is magnificent.

So all the haters can go on and mock this emotionally captivating film and I will remain here in the minority of people who is touched by the rawness of these tales.  All I can say is that it affected me.

Grade: A

Nancy Meyers has officially taken Nora Ephron’s (1993’s ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ and 1998’s ‘You’ve Got Mail’) crown as the New Queen of the Rom-Com.  Her follow-up to ‘Something’s Gotta Give’ (2003) and ‘What Women Want’ (2000), is this sweet simple film that tells the story of two women, Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz), who decide to swap houses for the Xmas holiday despite not knowing one another.  They find their new lives appealing and interesting and of course discover men to love them (Jack Black and Jude Law, respectively).

Sure the plot is a little…contrived, but the idea overall is a neat one, though it works better in some places than others.

The Diaz-Law love, is one of magnetic sexual attraction, while the Winslet-Black love is one of chemistry and personality.  I wish the film spent more time with Winslet and Black, their love story is too short-handed, while we grow to really know and appreciate the Diaz-Law love.

I really don’t like Cameron Diaz and here she is one again prancing around with REAL actors, especially Winslet who is, in my opinion, the best actress of their generation.  Diaz is out-classed at every angle.  She has some sweet moments, but that is mostly thanks to the incredibly likable Jude Law. 

There are cool bits where Diaz’ character, who is a movie trailer editor, envisions her life in trailers, and a really original relationship between Winslet and an elderly neighbour (Eli Wallach) who was once a great Hollywood screenwriter.

Ultimately, I wished this movie had given Winslet more screen time, cut out her stupid lovelorn relationship with Rufus Sewell and really gotten to the meat of her character.  At over 2 hours this movie had more to tell, a rare thing for a modern film.

If only there was no Diaz….

Grade: B