Review of Funny Ha Ha (2003) by Sol H — 01 Jun 2008

This is a deliberately messy movie by most conventional standards, with terrible production values, semi-competent directing and sound, and minimal scripting and acting. But it sort of works because its subject is the messiness of life. Still, I finished it with a mental 'hmmmm', as it's also very self-conscious and arty.

Kate Dollenmayer is understated to the point of mannerism as Marnie, in a quarter life crisis. But I think this is more a problem with the character Marnie than the quite touching Dollenmayer. As the film 'progresses' in its slow, back-and-forth, meandering way, she starts to seem less the 'real' warts-and-all person you might meet, and more an arty, half-conceived character.

As an actor Bujalski, by contrast, is painfully real and convincing throughout as oh-so-common committed temp and general loser Mitchell (I know: I've been there!). This is because he so obviously knows his character intimately, whereas Marnie, as noted above, is someone he seems to be trying to think out of his mind. But he gives far too little screen time to himself, and I wish he had made Mitchell the centre of the film.