Review of Henry Fool (1998) by Alan L — 30 Apr 2008

Let's put it this way, this movie is punishing, really, really punishing. As dry and wry as you expect from Hartley, extended an hour, crushingly inevitable and a real downer. You're astonished at the acting, squirmish about the next scene, impatient for the denouement, and frustrated at the characters.

Given his bloviating, you want Henry to be greater, you want to understand and read this sublime greatness in Simon's poetry, you feel cheated to hate one character and love another as Sister Carrie rises up to take a place in fame.

Okay so its a certain type of person who finds their ego punished and ransacked and engaged with this type of film, and though it's a torture to sit through, you find the experience of the brilliance quite life-altering.