I saw FUNNY HA HA in February on a panel for the new mumblecore movement and so for the first time since Reel 13 started, I turned off the TV after the short. I just couldn't sit through it again. That is not to say that it's this awful, unwatchable movie, but it's not good enough to rewatch so recently after seeing it for the first time.
For those of you who aren't aware, mumblecore is an emerging movement in independent cinema (similar to the Dogma movement of the mid-90's) that feature non-actors, improvised dialogue, handheld verite camera, a loose plot and are shot with a micro-budget. The problem with most mumblecore films, including FUNNY HA HA, is that they are what they are out of necessity as opposed to aesthetics. In other words, they have handheld camera and non-actors because that's what they can afford, not because they have some high-brow artistic purpose. The scenes in FUNNY HA HA often feel quite staged for the camera, which belies the naturalism that mumblecore is supposed to represent. The shot and framing choices by director Andrew Bujalski are very traditional in nature, but they don't seem to mesh stylistically with the non-professional cast. One can't help but get the impression that he'd much rather be shooting a larger budget film with glamorous movie stars.
Which is a good segue to the primary issue with the mumblecore movement and FUNNY HA HA which is the "actors". With meandering narratives and only small semblances of plot, the thing that makes or breaks any mumblecore film is the charisma of its on-screen talent. They're not trained, but they can carry a film if they have charm and are somewhat comfortable in front of the camera. In the best of cases, like for example, Aaron Katz's 2007 film QUIET CITY, the actors' personality fills the gap left by the lack of story and the result is a film that feels honest, real, resonant, relevant and a more organic portrait of real life. By contrast, FUNNY HA HA revolves around the character of Marni as played by Kate Dollenmayer, who isn't very interesting or appealing as a protagonist, nor does she appear at ease or natural when performing. This is true of pretty much all the players in the film (except the director himself who is very believable in a significant supporting role) and this becomes the Achilles heel of the film. With all the other limitations of the genre, whether budgetary or artistic, it's too enormous of a flaw to overcome.