Review of Facing Windows (2003) by Nick M — 27 Jul 2004

Have you ever heard that song "American Girl"? I believe it is by Mr. Tom Petty. Well, it is stuck in my head because I just found a mix CD lying around and it is on there (track #9). The song served as an in-joke for a couple of my friends and I in Psychology class. Looking back, I don't quite know where it started. I think it had something to do with Silence of the Lambs and how the fat girl belts it right before she gets abducted. Then there is that damn addictive song "Let Go" by Frou Frou from the even more addictive trailer for Garden State. There is a lot of shit in my head at the moment.

Today I watched two movies. One of which I took my lady friend to. Two of which, I guessed the little twists throughout. It hurt one film, but didn't the other. Judging by my grades I'm sure you smart people can figure out which remark belongs to which.

You guessed it, [i]Facing Windows[/i] was so hurt by it's predictablity that I became bored during the second half. I spent the first half watching the screen as I absorbed the beautiful look of the film (both the cast and the colors) and guessing where I thought the film would inevitably go. The second half played out pretty much just how I imagined it would which as I watched, seemed like an exercise in redundancy. The charismatic and adorable cast deserve a better movie than this. The film had great production values, but no great production to serve them duty. The film feels way too calculated and while it is not a mess, it feels overly contrived. The subplots about secret affairs, that obviously mirror each other can be enjoyed only by people who don't think during a film and just like to watch things unfold unsuspectingly. This movie perfectly suits a group of old ladies on their way back from their book club who enjoy foreign movies that don't challenge them. The old ladies in my theater seemed to eat it up (no pun intended). The pastry cooking segments of the film evoked only urges of hunger, not inspiration, seeing how it was so easy to spot how things would end up. I'm not a huge fan of pastries, they are excessive in sugar, just like this film. [b]C[/b].

[i]Gattaca [/i]takes a somewhat interesting premise and executes it well. This is a film where I would say everything was done well. I don't know how to sum it up even more. Just a solid flick. [b]B[/b].

Ending on a high note, Maria Full of Grace and Before Sunset are both opening at my arthouse on Friday. I'm officially excited for both, even though I've already seen Before Sunset, I can't wait to see it again. And then there is Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. I thought this movie looked so bad, but I must admit, the extremely positive buzz is getting to me. After being told by someone who's opinions I trust that I need to see it, I might just actually do just that, even though I hated Dude, Where's My Car. He said you need to have been stoned to get most of the jokes, and while I hate stoners, I'm guilty as charged.