I have asked certain users on Spout to recommend a movie to me. I will be blogging about these films as I watch them. This film was recommended to me by laurabot
Wendy and Lucy
I do not know laurabot all that well, but have conversed with her about movies on a couple occasions. She has her own distinctive taste which I appreciate. She gave me quite a few different suggestions for films to see, many of which I had heard of and have wanted to see anyways, so I kind of felt like she was in tune with what I was looking for. I was considering seeing Labyrith since I hear so many cultural references to it, even today and feel embarrassed I still have never seen it. And laurabot urged me so much that I do need to see it. I did however ultimately chose Wendy and Lucy since it had been stuck in my head ever since I saw the trailer for it. The sad scenario of a person with few friends, and apparently no real good friends, no home, and not many possessions striking out on a last hope to make a new life for themselves I found appealing. Of course in this society one little thing going wrong can cause a sequence of that show just how fleeting possessions can be.
The movie turned out to be mostly what I expected, which was a good thing in this case. *SPOILER* The biggest surprise to me was that Wendy did make a major mistake of her own that could have been avoided, that being shoplifting. I can see why she would do it and the desperation of her situation. But now that I think about it, knowing was really wrong with her car, maybe the outcome would have been the same in the end whether she had shop lifted or not. *END SPOILER*
One thing that I've been trying to come to terms with is the acting style in this movie. Although I sense that the movie is trying to be very realistic, some of the dialogue sounds a bit strange, or maybe the way it's delivered is strange. I'm not sure if it's just bad acting or writing, or if it's a deliberate attempt by the writer/director to write and direct actors in a way that is just kind of strange. Some of my favorite directors like Hal Hartley for instance do have very specific ways of writing and directing actors that gives them a deliberate style. I can't tell if it is deliberate in this case. Sometimes it is a bit charming, and sometimes it is a bit off putting. Either way, Michelle Williams stands out as a much better actors than the rest of the cast. Which although I'm guessing is quite true in general, I would think that the director would want everyone to fit together a bit better. Or maybe this too was deliberate to make her stand out and the other characters feel just slightly more alienating.
This movie just goes to show how much more important strong human relationships are rather than money and possessions. Even though a dog is a nice friend to have, one is lost in the world without good human friends.
Rating: 9/10