Review of Storytelling (2001) by Michael C — 12 Jun 2009

What I like about the films that Todd Solonz chooses to make is his penchant for making highly uncomfortable moments that still feel very real. This quality is present in this film, which is actually two different stories, labeled "Fiction", and "Non-Fiction" for reasons apparent during the film.

The second half is the more developed story, which is the main weakness of the film; for a film detailing more than one story, it certainly didn't give equal attention to nuance and detail to both, as the second half feels at least twice as long as the first.

But this doesn't weigh the film down enough to make the many darkly funny moments rise to the surface, including a far too adult young child who says some really disturbing and honest things, and an oddball encounter between an aspiring writer and her arrogant teacher that ends up being awkward for both in a very confronting way.

Solonz makes films that many won't feel at ease watching, but if you have the demeanor that enjoys something that really challenges you as a viewer, he can be quite enjoyable.