Serendipity allowed me to just see 'Boxing Helena' for the first time tonight, ten years after its release. I found it amongst my wife's old tapes; she said that it was stupid and suggested that I record over it. That was enough to prompt a viewing first. I just wanted those few of you writing positive reviews to know that you are not the only ones who... liked it? Enjoyed it? Found it interesting? None of these phrases seems to capture my appreciation for the film. The overwhelming numbers of negative reviews do not intimidate me. I'm not afraid to be the only one who likes something: While I was listening to the likes of Television, The Ramones and Iggy Pop back in the day, everybody else my age was into metal, disco or 'classic rock.' I was so out of touch! - Madonna and Kim Basinger saw the script and bailed. Kim even sacrificed $8M and crippled her career rather than appear in such a turkey. - Director Jennifer Lynch was doing a poor imitation of her father, the great David. - The imagery was sledgehammer obvious, 'Hmm...I wonder if Little Boy will grow up resenting his parents?' - The ending sucked. I don't know why Kim and Madonna bailed and I don't care. [James Caan bailed on several successful movies including Kramer vs. Kramer.] Attractive as they are, they could only wish to be able to do what Sherilyn Fenn did with the part. The combination of fierce independence, courage, bluntness and irresistibility of Helena was Fenn's alone to depict. 'Boxing Helena' is certainly not for everyone. I think that anyone who suspects that a friend is going off of the deep end over a romance should arrange a viewing. My take is that the plot line portrays an obsession taken to its logical conclusion. The childhood flashbacks, the piteous groveling by the perpetrator and the mercilessly accurate assessments by the captive demonstrate the true nature of obsession: It has very little to do with love or even the desire's object. It is about an unhealthy perspective of self and world. I don't give a damn about whether a film is 'derivative' or 'predictable;' is it watchable? Sex or good food is predictable too, what's your point? I don't know if Jennifer Lynch was imitating her father. I think that those who compared the two were prejudicing themselves. Some of you liked most of the film except the ending, but I did. I think that having lived an obsession in the safety of a dream, Nick got a second chance to 'wake-up' and back away. Otherwise it would have been just an elaborate slasher flick, which is all some shallow reviewers got out of it. Most movies could have been done better. This one gets the point across nicely. I think that some of the people who hated it found that the premise hit too close to home. Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't do either criticize.
Review of Boxing Helena
