Folks, Harry here... Instead of seeing this tonight, I stayed at home and learn-ed myself as to uh how to make my new DVD player do the hokey pokey with PAL and NTSC and all them wacky regions. And boy-o I learnt it real good, mmmhmmmm... Here's what Massawyrm was doing in the meantime...
Hola all, everyone's favorite Chain-smoking, Dr. Pepper Swilling, Indie Schilling, bastard child raised by Camel Smoking, Coffee swilling wolves here with a look at this summers errr...strange choice for a summer release, Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal". Now this has been one of those anticipated films with some serious bunk floating around it. It's also one of those films that's going to have amazingly mixed reactions at the box office.
First of all, despite whatever news you've heard, no matter what you've read anywhere else recently, let me say that there is absolutely, positively NO JULIA ROBERTS NUDE SCENE. Now, I knew this going in as she said as much during interviews this past Christmas when promoting "Oceans Eleven", so I had no expectations of this. Several of my buddies on the otherhand bought the misinformation put out by several sources and were upset about being duped. So if your interest in this movie is based on seeing Julia Roberts in any state of undress whatsoever then bust out Paintshop Pro and doctor some photos because that's the only way you're gonna see skin.
The title "Full Frontal" is purely allegorical, as Soderbergh is giving us a naked view of Los Angeles life in the movie business. It is an honest, interesting look at several characters loosely connected through a single film and a party most of them are to attend. Full Frontal has no real plot to speak of and has a very Documentary look and feel to it. Various Characters narrate as if they are being interviewed, but we never see interviewing scenes; we only peer into their daily lives. Most of the film is shot on Digital Video with a few sequences shot on 35mm, so the majority has a very grainy, gritty look to it.
This is both good and bad.
You see, film geeks and long time Soderbergh fans are going to LOVE this movie. I certainly did. It's a return to his headier, more provocative films the likes of which we haven't seen in several years. Someone said that this was akin to "Sex, Lies and Videotape" and they were totally correct. This is more "Sex, Lies and Videotape" than any of his other films. "Full Frontal" is very experimental, especially for as wide a release as it's going to get and film lovers are going to get a real treat.
However, and this is a big however, there is going to be an army of pissed off Julia Roberts fans and casual movie goers the world over who are going to walk out of this film very upset. Some will even walk out during the movie.
My mother is a big Julia Roberts fan. Big. She sees everything she's in and has almost all of them on tape (I cannot for the life of me convince her to go DVD...she still thinks it means she has to throw out her VHS collection). Mom has been anxious to see this film as she's heard "Julia" talking about it on Talk Shows for awhile. I'm dreading the phone call I'll get after she sees this. You see, my mother always calls me and asks me about upcoming films and recommendations on what she and my father should see. I know their tastes to a tee, so I'm always spot on when telling them what they absolutely have to see. For some reason, however, when I tell them NOT to see a movie, they never listen. I know there's no way I'm going to prevent my mother from seeing this. It has "Julia". So she's going to call me and she's going to hold me personally responsible for the film. You know mothers. Well My mothers going to hate this. It's gritty, raw and not afraid to go some places that other movies don't. However the places this goes, two scenes in particular (both involving David Duchovny, fittingly enough) are going to disturb your average movie watcher and as the film has no real plot, they are going to percieve this as the focal point of the film, not just a part of it. The fact that "Julia" isn't involved with those scenes will save this movie from some very angry backlash, but it won't save it from being considered the 'bad' Julia Roberts film. The "What was she thinking" film.
Now, please, do not be mistaken. I certainly don't think this and this is by no stretch of the imagination a Julia Roberts movie. Oh, she's in it, but she is only a small part in the scheme of things. This is 100% a Steven Soderbergh film, make no mistake about it. Unfortunately, America has a short memory, and that memory has Steven Soderbergh being a mainstream director. People remember Ocean's Eleven, Traffic and Erin Brockovich. They remember the Oscar. They might even remember Out of Sight as being one of his. But most of them certainly don't know "Whatever the hell a Schizopolis is" (an actual phrase used at my video store recently). Most of middle America is going to see this is long, slow and pointless. It's not, even remotely, a mainstream film.
This is the type of film I wish I'd seen on the festival circuit. It's got the spirit of a true indie and mostly resembles films like Shaun Monson's excellent Dogme indie "Bad Actors" and Christopher Guest's "Best in Show" (without the mockery of its subjects that bothered me about the film). There are moments of subtle hilarity and serious moments of true anguish that completely humanizes even the most unlikable of characters. Soderbergh even gives us a Shakespearian moment with a film within a film within a film. Everything comes together very well for the type of film it is.
And as we've all come to expect from Soderbergh, he milks the very best performances out of all of his actors. Blair Underwood is riveting as the actor playing the actor playing the actor and delivers 100% on the charisma his recent roles haven't allowed him to show. David Hyde Pierce shows us a depth of character and the ability to display neurosis the likes of which he's never been cast to play. He's the shining star of this film, without a doubt in my mind. Julia Roberts is flawless, yet again, and gets a gold star for having the huevos to take a risk like this film is presenting. Hopefully between this and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind she'll find that she likes the risky films and begins taking even bigger risks that offer really daring roles that will earn her a place in the hearts of geeks the world over. And Catherine Keener once again what she does best, playing her character's dysfunction to the hilt. Another great performance on her part.
Soderbergh impresses more and more every single time I watch one of his films. His range is fantastic and his talent with actors is something that will surely earn him legendary status. I really liked this film quite a bit. Definitely a weird one, but one I will watch again to dissect it even further. His visions of reality, the movie business and the internet are crystal clear and thought provoking. His slow, deliberate, methodical pulling back of the curtain throughout this film is done with a masterful hand. I think its a work of genius and have no complaints.
My mother, on the other, will have plenty.
Until next time friends, smoke 'em if ya got 'em. I know I will.
You want loving, me love you long time, 5 dollah I makey you hollah! Clicky clicky here here!!!
