Review of F for Fake (1973) by Aram F — 30 Jun 2005

[b]The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou[/b].

Wes Anderson is a tough call for me. I really enjoyed Royal Tenenbaums, but couldn't get into Rushmore, which everyone seems to prefer. I think I'd still call Tenenbaums superior to Life Aquatic, although I like Anderon's newest quite a bit. Very quirky, as his films tend to be -- that's certainly stating the obvious, but quirk is this film's stock in trade, so I feel it bears mentioning. Not much in the way of character arc, save for a very small moment of self-realization near the end for Bill Murray's character. A few really great visual moments -- I love the animated fish and the Seventies-style documentaries -- and some great moments of humor (the rescue operation). I hestitate to recommend it, only because I happen to love offbeat movies about broken people (Crumb, American Splendor, Napoleon Dynamite, etc.) and I realize that's not everybody's thing. 7/10 for me.

[b]F for Fake[/b].

I came within a hair's breadth of not liking this movie. Orson Welles' "visual essay" about Elmyr, art, deception, and the nature of "experts." The beginning was very tough to get through for me, as I had to adjust to the berserk editing and Welles' pompous, nigh-intolerable holding court and grandstanding. But, slowly, the film found its legs, and by the end I felt rewarded for my efforts. This is not a conventional film by any means, and I find it quite flawed and spotty in places, but it's punctuated by some moments of sheer brilliance that make it worth viewing overall. 6/10.

[b]Closer[/b].

Another movie about lies, truth, deception, and betrayal. What I said earlier about enjoying movies about broken people really holds true here. This film has some of the most broken people I've ever seen. There's not really a sympathetic character in the bunch. Four people betray, lie, and hurt one another in some of the most harrowing ways possible, all the while hating themselves, feeling racked with guilt, and apologizing -- but the movie never quite ensures you that their apologies, or anything about them, is sincere. The screenplay is terrific -- some great moments that warrant more than one viewing, and should spark debate about how much of what people say is truth, and how much is a lie.

I do have some criticisms of it, however; some of the dialogue is very "stagey" (taken as it is from a play), and the performances, though good, can't quite always break through that. The movie tends to jump about without proper exposition, so that months or years can pass in the space of a cut, leaving you playing catch-up when someone explains how much the situation has changed in the last several seconds. Lastly, and this is more of a cautionary statement than a criticism of the movie; this is a film without heroes. There is no one to root for. No one wins. You might find it in your heart to pity a couple characters, but it's doubtful you'll be cheering for any of them. The ending made me want to gnash my teeth, but that's because I was engaged with the story, not because I feel it misstepped.

Overall, not without some shortcomings, but I really enjoyed it, 7.5/10.