When seeing a movie, some people prefer that transparent glass wall Hollywood puts over so many films. They like their stars preternaturally beautiful, with impeccable wardrobes. They like slick action scenes and softly-lit love scenes. They like when the bad guys and the good guys are easy to tell apart. I'm not judging here, since I consume a certain amount of "basic" entertainment as well--I've been known to enjoy a certain multiple-camera sitcom that centers around a group of "nerdy" males in California and certain genres of literature that are, shall we say, formulaic?
However, when it comes to movies, I prefer my viewing choices to be realistic. I like movies where the bad guy gets away in the end. Or better yet, when there are no bad guys--just flawed humans. I like love stories with sad or ambiguous endings. The ending of Sideways, where Paul Giamatti knocks on Virginia Madsen's door...and we never find out if she opens it, or even lives there anymore? Perfect ending. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the most romantic movies to me because it's about accepting love KNOWING it probably will go sour in the end.
I like movies that reflect reality because it makes me feel understood. And it makes me less afraid of the ambiguity we so often encounter in our lives.
Two wonderful movies I saw recently capture reality in a way that is positive, life-affirming, and just fucking flat-out delightful. In a World... takes place inside the world of professional voice-overs. You know that booming male voice that narrates movie trailers? Someone gets paid big money to do that. And they're usually men.
One thing that struck me about In a World... is how *real* the actors look. With strong features, a wardrobe that looks thrifted (and not in a cute way), and messy, unevenly dyed hair, Bell does not look like a typical leading lady. She looks like your best friend. Likewise, her sister (Michaela Watkins), brother-in-law (Rob Corddry), potential boyfriend (Demetri Martin), and professional rival (Ken Marino) are all recognizable actors who also happen to look like real human beings. It makes the movie so much more fun because you feel like you could actually hang out with the characters at a party and not feel completely alienated by them.
Also, the movie is just...different. And unique. It's blatantly feminist, with a woman trying to break into a male-dominated profession, but unlike so many similar-ish rom-coms (i.e. The Proposal) that attempt to be pseudo-feminist, Carol's love interest, Louis, has her back the entire time. Louis likes Carol and is nice to her and supports her professionally. He isn't her rival-turned-boyfriend. Isn't that fucking mind-blowing? Well, it is to me.
In a World... is just a delightful little film. It's funny, it's quirky (but not in an annoying Zach Braff type way), and it's very female-friendly. I recommend it to humans of all genders.
The other movie I saw was Enough Said, which is so bittersweet given that it was one of James Gandolfini's last movie roles before his untimely death. He's also absolutely adorable in it. Enough Said centers on Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, not surprisingly awesome and hilarious here, as she is in everything), a middle-aged, divorced massage therapist with a daughter about to go away to college. She meets Albert (Gandolfini) at a party and the two bond because he's also divorced with a daughter about to go to college. Even though she's not initially attracted to him, Eva goes out with Albert and they have a great time. They eventually get much closer and see the possibility of a full-blown romance.
But even once Eva figures it out, she keeps Marianne as a client and purposefully milks information about Albert from her. Pretty soon, she begins to see Albert through Marianne's judgmental eyes.
Once again, we have a film where people look and act like people. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is, of course, very beautiful, but she plays a middle-aged mom realistically. She's into sex, but not a Cougar-ish sexpot. Gandolfini is not a typical leading man, looks-wise. He's heavy and balding. But damn, Galdolfini is hot in this movie. Why? Because he's funny, charming, confident, and real. Not slick. Beyond their looks, the characters also act like real people. Director Nicole Holofcener is pretty well known for her movies that appear plucked from real life. The script is funny, but not overly clever the way some Hollywood comedies can be. The characters' behavior is flawed--Albert really is a slob, and Eva behaves disingenuously after figuring out that Albert is Marianne's ex--just like real, imperfect people.
Enough Said can be a little stressful since you, the viewer, become invested in Albert and Eva's romance and don't want them to screw it up. But the film has a comfortable, lived-in feel to it, which is very nice. And its portrayal of romance is so anti-Hollywood. There are no pop-songs or montages to explain to the audience how they should feel. There's just a lot of talking and discussion among the two lovers, their friends, and their families.
If you're the type who prefers the glamorous sheen of big-budget mainstream movies, more power to you. Movie-going should be fun! But I highly recommend giving indie movies and slightly less glamorous movies a chance. You might be surprised. Enough Said and In a World... are two excellent films to start with--they're real, but they're not gritty or unpleasant. Give 'em a shot!
In a World... : 4 out of 5 stars
Enough Said : 4.5 out of 5 stars
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