Having made her mark as a video performance artist, it seems appropriate that in her debut feature film, Miranda July emphasizes the performance rituals people go through while seeking love. A six-year old boy logs on to IM and innocently begins a perverse conversation with a lusty middle-aged woman; a pair of teenage girls lie about their age to entice an older man into voicing his desire for them; a heartbroken shoe salesman lights his hand on fire to express his anguish at his wife’s decision to divorce him; and a video artist (played by July herself) engages in childlike make-believe games to attract the attention of man she sees a future with. Although the dialogue occasionally verges on heavy-handed, July is a sharp enough observer of human nature to pull things back to earth, slipping in quiet, keenly observed moments that should strike a chord with even the most stubbornly cynical viewer.
by Beth Gilligan | Source: IFC Digital Projection
27 Jun 2005 10:32 AM | Submit Comment