MUBI

The first half of the film FICTION is more the typical Todd Solondz type plot. The way it plays here since it is short is like a Sub-Plot from one of his other films. It’s cut and dry. Though I could see prolonging it by adding another sub-plot. It is filled with the cruelty and innocence of his other films while being sharply funny while including some controversy.

It revolves around a college student in a prestigious writing program. Who dares to be different from her WASP classmates. Even sleeping with a disabled student to be controversial and different to give her something to write about. The class is taught by a African American author who hates being stuck there but needs the money. She picks him up at a bar and sleeps with him. She then finds out she is not the first of his students he has slept with and in there overwhelming sense to please him out of liberal guilt has let hi get away with forcing them to do his sick sexual desires. She feels victimized so she then writes about it at least her account of it, With a wicked ending.

Selma Blair excellently plays the role of the student. Her Character seems to be open-minded, motivated and liberal as she does things for the adventure of it to use in her writing. She See’s her seduction of the teacher as winning a trophy. He knows this and he knows that most of his other students who have slept with him are motivated the same way and also it’s a way to piss off their parents. So since they are using him he see’s the situation as a way to manipulate them into doing what he enjoys sexually. After their night together Blair’s character feels disillusioned. She knows how much power he yilds because in a early scene the class loves the one male student’s story he has cerebral palsy so they more give him pity good feedback but when the professor is critical they all turn on the student. In this story as usual the characters all have a bit of self loathing going on.

In the sex scene there is a red bar covering the action. Because with the scene the MPAA gave the film a X-Rating Solondz wanted to keep the scene in and felt like he was being censored so that was his reaction to the situation his statement if you will. Just like in old censored Russian films.

This is the better part of the film.

It is a interesting story. It would have been a excellent short story.

Maybe he didn’t have the funds or confidence to make it a one off short film, Maybe he was intentionally trying to make a anthology film on his own with stories or ideas he had in his head. His version of a short story collection

The second half of the film NON-FICTION seems like a critique/Satire of that ears big movie AMERICAN MOVIE and AMERICAN BEAUTY. AMERICAN BEAUTY, The way it revolves around a suburban family that seemed caring but were cruel to each other. Including the ridiculous paper bag shot from the film. AMERICAN MOVIE by not only having a cameo by one of the subjects of AMERICAN MOVIE but also having a so called amateur documentarian really exploit the family’s son making it appear this will make him a star and the documentary be a sweet and good natured. Though he is really ridiculing the subject for the audiences benefit.

Throw in typical depressed, Sexually confused and mean spirited Solondz characters.
This half of the film feels more comedic and like the director has a axe to grind instead of creating a real plot or characters. Things are just left vague Like Paul Giamatti’s character decides to just make a film because it seems he is having a mid-life crisis. This half of the film doesn’t feel complete and is scattershot not that it doesn’t have it’s moments but it feels like half the time it’s grasping at straws.

The cruel youngest child in this film seems like he will grow up to be another Hitler or a broker. Has one of the most ridiculous scenes in the film where he supposedly hypnotizes his father for his own benefit and feels stupid.

This half of the film seems to try harder to be shocking also. The best part is actually played by Lupe Ontiveros her scenes with the child are cruel and hard to sit through but very emotional to the core though it seems like half of it is played for laughs.
This section of the film is even more disappointing considering it has the greater and more experienced cast. Even some big name character actors who are reduced to one scene bit roles.

There was supposed to be another section of the film that played in the middle of “Fiction” and “Non-Fiction” I don’t know if it was filmed but it was supposed to star James Van DerBeek, Emanuelle Chiriqui and Heather Matarazzo. It was supposed to revolve around Van DerBeek’s character being a college stud. Though with his many conquests his character is also bi-sexual. This was also supposed to be the hardest hitting of the 3 sections. Which might have been labeled “Reality” It may have also been the link to the film palindromes where we see only what we heard happened to Dawn Weiner in PALINDROMES. Though again this was all rumors.

The film has a great soundtrack by the Group Belle & Sebastian and some additional score and songs by Nathan Larson.

The film as a whole is a shocking misfire. It’s just ok it seems like this was his attempt to make a mainstream film though still having his sensibilities, But even a lesser work from him is still satisfying to me.