Review of Mutual Appreciation (2005) by Holly S — 25 Sep 2007

I'm going to go ahead and say it, Andrew Bujalski is the greatest filmmaker of his generation. I say this for two reasons: One, because I have a thing for slightly grandiose statements, and two, because it's true.

Also, everything I say about Mutual Appreciation applies also to his previous picture, Funny Ha Ha, from a few years earlier. First and foremost, I am so completely blown away by Bujalski's skill with actors.

These performances are, in my opinion, phenomenal, and many members of the cast are non-actors. This is one of those rare films that somehow feels more real than a documentary. So many of the scenes ring with such truth that you can't help but laugh nervously to yourself and cringe until they end.

The "plot" meanders and digresses for the duration, much like the interactions between the characters. We understand what they're really trying to say to each other by the way they avoid the very words.

And, of course, because we've been through those conversations ourselves.