Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a new report from Castor on a dark dramady starring Evan Rachel Wood, Ron Livingston and Selma Blair (yum!). Castor really seemed to flip for this film, calling it a return to form for independent film. He says it's too dark and too messed up for any studio to greenlight, which makes it a perfect Sundance flick. I'll watch it because Ron Livingston is in it and he rocks out with his cock out, as Moriarty would say. Anyway, enjoy the review!
Hey Harry,
Well sadly I’m only returning with one review here and I won’t see another movie until Tuesday due to 24 tomorrow. Anyways, had tickets to see Old Boy but I got there too late and wasn’t allowed in the theatre – which I think is actually kind of cool of Sundance since they make sure their audience is never distracted by late filmgoers. Some theatres don’t even allow any food or drink inside – they want the festival to be completely about the films at all times and I give them respect for that. Anyways, here’s my one review until later in the week.
Pretty Persuasion (4 out of 5)
This is the type of film that I expect to see at Sundance. A comedy/drama that might be far too dark for a mass audience and will not appeal to everyone – but it has a purpose, it’s put together with passion and it features actors that are willing to take on risky roles. It’s a dark satire about high school life, but this is not Election or Heathers – it’s a film on its own right that stands out from the rest.
Pretty Persuasion stars Evan Rachel Wood as a 15-year-old aspiring actress named Kimberley living in an upscale suburb, staring in high school plays and auditioning for a role of a French girl in a bad soap opera. Her character is typically cruel even though half the time she doesn’t even realize it – as she explains late in the film that “the world is an orchestra and I’m the conductor” and everything revolves around her. It is obvious that her father (a sometimes over-the-top James Woods) is a major influence on her when she can let out racist remarks about any ethnicity and feel no shame.
With a couple friends, Brittany (Elisabeth Harnois) and a foreign exchange student Randa (Adi Schnall), they share a specific hatred for their English/Drama teacher (Ron Livingston). It is sometimes difficult to tell how much of his actions are real or displayed through a disillusioned teenage girl, but Kim persuades her friends into accusing their teacher of sexual harassment. Think you know where all this is going? You’re likely way off, the story takes quite a bit of turns throughout where there isn’t a single likeable character for you to admire here.
It is always good to see a film that is willing to never resort to being safe and ride along the dangerous road throughout, so a lot of props has to be given to the writer (Shander Halim), director (Marcos Siega), and cinematographer (Ramsey Nickell). All three of them paint a picture that doesn’t seem to have any boundaries as to where it could head and will gladly lead it into a much darker and difficult ending for most tastes. Before the film, Marcos told the audience that even with Evan Rachel Wood, James Woods, and Ron Livingston all signed on that it was hard to get anyone to fund the picture because they didn’t think it could appeal to filmgoers despite an already capable cast. I believe it, and I salute them for sticking with this project from the very beginning and releasing it the way it has always met to be.
The cast is easily something to admire as well. Wood was 16 when she made this film and it is very impressive to see an actress that is professional enough to take on a role that is incredibly mature. Think Natalie Portman in Leon, she is far beyond her years and will definitely raise eyebrows for ripping away any sign of innocence you would expect this girl to have. James Woods takes his performance to pretty far heights, and it doesn’t always work and might have held the film back. The only times when this film seems to slip are when we see this family together as they seem far too disconnected in each others lives for us to have any real understanding with them (especially the relationship with Kim and her stepmother, which just didn’t work for me). Major kudos to Ron Livingston for taking on a bold role as this, he really shows a great range as an actor here. An early scene between him and his wife (Selma Blair) is downright creepy, and they both play it out so perfectly that it really gets the film going.
After the film, a great number of people stayed for the Q&A while some left during the credits in a bit of disgust for what they just saw. This is a no limit film that will garner up a hard R rating from the MPAA if it gets distributed (and it definitely should). But I don’t think there needs to be sympathy for those that walked into this film and found it far more darker and offensive than they ever expected – Pretty Persuasion is the type of independent film that we need to see more of, one that makes us envy filmmakers that stick with their hearts, having a strong will to tell a story and don’t hold anything back. Great job.
Be back soon with a review of Kung Fu Hustle and Junebug.
