Review of Certain Women (2016) by Rfstuart — 23 Oct 2016

I agree nearly word for word with both Brent_Marchant and CMC, right down to my dismay at finding that my least favorite critic wrote the most clear-sighted review. Why then am I bothering to submit my own review? Because I wanted to voice my irritation and bafflement at so many generally incisive critics getting it so, so wrong.

How does that happen? Is it the hidden game of attention and persuasion from people connected with the film? Fear of embarrassment at missing something, and so crediting the empty and too thinly drawn for being "deeply felt"? Fantasy identification with lifestyles? I could go on speculating, but it occurs to me that maybe this is not really an appropriate place for addressing these things.

I wonder, though, how many others feel as I do--like a victim of critical malpractice, after having been persuaded by so much rich praise to see something so singularly vapid and incoherent.