The Watermelon Woman (1996)

Review by All Movie Guide
Although it's far more interesting as a cultural artifact than as a film, this first effort from indie director Cheryl Dunye is not without a certain threadbare charm. The acting is lousy, the production values are miniscule, and the self-conscious tone is often off-putting. But underneath all the limitations imposed by the director's inexperience and lack of funding, The Watermelon Woman tells a story that hasn't been told before. Cinema-as-self-reflection is a favorite topic of film theorists, but Dunye's film effectively dramatizes the drive to find oneself represented fully onscreen. The casting of motor-mouthed cultural gadfly Camille Paglia as herself would be a coup for any director; pondering whether Paglia thought she was being interviewed for an actual documentary or was in on the joke just adds another layer of postmodern fun. The recruitment of lesbian indie pin-up Guinevere Turner is similarly canny. The relationship angst between her character and Dunye's protagonist is arguably the worst-realized aspect of the entire script, but Turner gives the most polished and natural performance in the film. It's hard not to damn The Watermelon Woman with faint praise, but it's better, and more accurate, than to give it no praise at all. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide