Review of Variety (1985) by John M — 04 Jun 2016

Variety is an important film for many reasons. It explores detachment, boredom, and voyeurism in ways never shown in a movie. The story centers around Christine (Sandy McLeod) taking a job as a ticket taker at a NYC porn theater, and how her life is transformed by the people, environment, and culture as a whole.

Lesser films have mined similar territory by focusing on women "unlocking their sexual desires" and invariably deteriorating into soft core titillation. Variety ends up closer to Susan Seidelman's Smithereens or Desperately Seeking Susan than late night cable fare.

Slapping the term "feminist" on a film is frustratingly non-specific, but Variety is told from a certain "feminine" point of view, and how a woman can feel and act when placed in a certain situation.

Christine is operating on instinct and impulse; letting the new world around her change how she interfaces with her old life and how she views herself. Fascinating not only for the stark NY/NJ street scenes circa 1983, but how the director Bette Gordon reveals a character study of someone whose actions some of us may not relate to, but whose willingness to give into self-exploration wherever that road may lead is thought provoking nonetheless.