Review of Wild Nights with Emily (2018) by Erik B. A — 11 Oct 2018

Molly Shannon is a national treasure. I love what she does. The last movie I saw her in was The Little Hours, a 13th century sex comedy about Medieval nuns starring Aubrey Plaza and Alison Brie. Two years ago she was the female lead of Other People which opened the @sdfilmfestival (San Diego International Film Festival). This year, the same festival showed us Wild Nights with Emily, starring Ms. Shannon as the great American poet Emily Dickinson. It was not only an impressive deadpan farce, it corrects the historical record on the poet's horribly maligned reputation.

I won't spoil the brilliant ending in this review, but I can give it a high recommendation. Though I'm not sure all audiences will appreciate it. The production value is pretty low. It feels like a classical poetry lecture performed by local historical re-enactors reading their lines badly much of the time. Molly Shannon was the only name or face I recognized. But it was very self-aware of all this. Many times poetry was spoken directly to the camera, breaking the fourth wall with a dry wink and a nod.

I didn't mind all that, but not many people will be pairing this film on a double feature night with Venom or the Predator (unless they're intentionally trying to be ironic). If there ever was what used to be called a "Chick Flick" this is it. But it already has a built in fan base: anybody who has had a passing interest in Dickinson, Emerson, Whitman or the Bronte sisters.

Molly Shannon is a national treasure. I love what she does. The last movie I saw her in was The Little Hours, a 13th century sex comedy about Medieval nuns starring Aubrey Plaza and Alison Brie. Two years ago she was the female lead of Other People which opened the San Diego International Film Festival. This year, the same festival showed us Wild Nights with Emily, starring Ms. Shannon as the great American poet Emily Dickinson. It was not only an impressive deadpan farce, it corrects the historical record on the poet's horribly maligned reputation.

I won't spoil the brilliant ending in this review, but I can give it a high recommendation. Though I'm not sure all audiences will appreciate it. The production value is pretty low. It feels like a classical poetry lecture performed by local historical re-enactors reading their lines badly much of the time. Molly Shannon was the only name or face I recognized. But it was very self-aware of all this. Many times poetry was spoken directly to the camera, breaking the fourth wall with a dry wink and a nod.

I didn't mind all that, but not many people will be pairing this film on a double feature night with Venom or the Predator (unless they're intentionally trying to be ironic). If there ever was what used to be called a "Chick Flick" this is it. But it already has a built in fan base: anybody who has had a passing interest in Dickinson, Emerson, Whitman or the Bronte sisters.

To be honest, I was a bit bored at times, but I do ever so admire the courage it took to produce this film. If you don't see it, please go look up what the controversy is all about. If the Harvard Library thinks it's important enough to correct the record this way, we all should too.