18/12
Greetings Again From the Dark
Narrative
A patchwork comedy that follows a woman’s life as she navigates her long-term BDSM relationship, low-level corporate job, and Jewish family feuds. Joanna Arnow’s real-life parents appear in the film, playing Ann’s parents. It’s considered a comedy, though for many the funniest part is trying to remember the film’s title. Deadpan takes it to a whole new level in this debut from actress-writer-director-producer-editor Joanna Arnow.
It’s hard to remember any film that belongs to one person
Independent filmmaker Miranda July’s work is the closest I can think of, but by comparison, her work is closer to Spielberg’s mainstream than Ms. Arnow’s. None of this is meant to be harsh, it’s simply a challenge to describe this film to anyone who hasn’t seen it… or even to those who have. The film is divided into five chapters, each named after the key “other” characters (not named Ann).
Here we learn that she is 33 years old and has been subjected to Allen since she was 24
Arnow stars as Ann, and the opening scene finds her in bed next to the much older Allen (Scott Cohen). In fact, two of the chapters are called “Allen”, and Ann even suggests that they were “Allen”; She makes this proclamation after several attempts at a modern approach to dating, each one creating complications for her. These adventures are presented in vignette form and include a musician, a sleepover with her sister, a role-playing client, (failed) dating encounters, and a movie buff with a passion for pickled herring. To top it all off, these interactions provide some symmetry to Ann’s soulless job at a generic company.
You get a sense of Ann’s personality…something less than memorable
Imagine being rewarded with a year of recognition after working there for more than three years. Ann is thin and mean, and her deadpan delivery masks a sharp intelligence and spark that rarely reaches others. As she begins the foundation of a more traditional relationship with Chris (Babak Tafti, “Billions”), her path to self-discovery seems to open up…though that path may or may not surprise you at this point. Some of the vignettes are shockingly short, and many show Ann in a state of exposed (literally) vulnerability.
At times, this “comedy” is a success
As far as the vignettes go, watching them is no different than scrolling through a stream. Joanna Arnow’s real-life parents (David Arnow, Barbara Weiserbs) play her parents here and serve as the only raised voices in the film as they sing a lively rendition of “Solidarity.” And no, Ann’s relationship with her parents isn’t all that different from the rest of her life. It feels like a slam dunk, but it leaves us with a fundamental life lesson: Pay attention the first time you’re asked, “What college did you go to?” Opens April 26, 2024.
https://babyoops.com.tw/need-for-speed-full-game-b-underground-2-iso-requested-v1-2-magnet/
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