An actor following someone around learning their mannerisms for a part is a not uncommon Hollywood trope. The actor stares at the person, mimics their motions, repeats their words, and gets on their nerves.
This is generally played for laughs, so perhaps that is one some people are inexplicably describing this off-kilter drama as a comedy.
But it's far from the typical set up. First off, the actress is studying a woman who had an affair with a kid, went to jail, and later married him. And now they're still married and they have kids.
But also, there's a sincerity to the approach of the actress, played by Natalie Portman. She seems really intent on understanding the character and the dynamics. The movie reminded me a little Drive My Car in that beyond the drama, this film is deeply concerned with the artistic process.
Whether there is a deeper understanding to be had is unclear. Julianne Moore as the ex-con is hard to pin down, and the truth of her relationship with husband isn't simple to parse.
The movie really leans into the discomfort of the situation. Moore has a darkness, her husband (Charles Melton) is stolid, and Portman, who is brilliant, falls somewhere between a studious actress and an unethical journalist.
At the end of this movie, I didn't know what to think of any of it. But I appreciate the way it pokes at the soft spots of my brain. I recommend it.
This is generally played for laughs, so perhaps that is one some people are inexplicably describing this off-kilter drama as a comedy.
But it's far from the typical set up. First off, the actress is studying a woman who had an affair with a kid, went to jail, and later married him. And now they're still married and they have kids.
But also, there's a sincerity to the approach of the actress, played by Natalie Portman. She seems really intent on understanding the character and the dynamics. The movie reminded me a little Drive My Car in that beyond the drama, this film is deeply concerned with the artistic process.
Whether there is a deeper understanding to be had is unclear. Julianne Moore as the ex-con is hard to pin down, and the truth of her relationship with husband isn't simple to parse.
The movie really leans into the discomfort of the situation. Moore has a darkness, her husband (Charles Melton) is stolid, and Portman, who is brilliant, falls somewhere between a studious actress and an unethical journalist.
At the end of this movie, I didn't know what to think of any of it. But I appreciate the way it pokes at the soft spots of my brain. I recommend it.