Love Liza is a film about a man coping with his wife's suicide, and his deliberate avoidance to read the suicide note she left for him. It's true that people can act in any number of bizarre ways to such a shocking event, and this character tries to deal with his grief by sniffing gasoline. His gas sniffing, besides being a novelty, and not the typical alcoholism or narcotic abuse - is used to provide a twist or ironic ending. They could have had the same 'high concept' ending if the character was a sloppy drinker in the sub-culture of high zoot moonshine!
My main criticism with this film is not why the character does what he does, but why the film makers think we should care? The film is very focused, too much to be interesting to anything more than an extremely limited cult audience. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a good actor, but he can't seem to carry a film on his own, unless you are a rabid fan of his work. The movie doesn't make a statement, except to say that this guy's life is ruined - ENJOY! A depressing character study of a depressing, boring character.
My main criticism with this film is not why the character does what he does, but why the film makers think we should care? The film is very focused, too much to be interesting to anything more than an extremely limited cult audience. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a good actor, but he can't seem to carry a film on his own, unless you are a rabid fan of his work. The movie doesn't make a statement, except to say that this guy's life is ruined - ENJOY! A depressing character study of a depressing, boring character.