Review of Swimming to Cambodia (1987) by Sheila W — 16 Feb 2010
Can't say if I enjoyed this or 'Gray's Anatomy' more, but one things for sure; I love Spalding Gray and these monologue films are definitely my bag. 'Swimming' is essentially a gigantic hubris-filled, self-centered odyssey about Gray's own role in Roland Joffe's 1983 film 'The Killing Fields,' where he had about three lines.
The obscurity of the premise is what makes this 'show' so interesting; he spins what could be a simple conversation into a full-blown theater piece. And, Gray sheds a lot of deep, eye-opening opinions about the Cambodian conflict on which 'Fields' is based.
The only touchy thing is that Jonathan Demme 'directed' this; the film essentially switches between three cameras, and the Demme thing is just prestige. Some TV station cameraman probably filmed the whole thing.
Regardless, it's a fun and hilarious trip into the psyche of a (sadly) dead man. Can't wait to see 'Monster In A Box' now.
This review of Swimming to Cambodia (1987) was written by Sheila W on 16 Feb 2010.
Swimming to Cambodia has generally received very positive reviews.
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