I've long been a fan of the sculpture of Niki de Saint Phalle, so I really looked forward to seeing her speak and move in the flesh. Whitehead is a very personal director, and along with her intensely personal story, it is almost hard to watch this film. Apparently Whitehead wanted to do a biographical story about St. Phalle, but instead she wrote a 90-minute rant about her father, and acts out his sexual abuse of her while she tortures him, first by sexualizing her mother, then by bringing in a "young girl from the convent". The nutty piano repeating over and over in the background emphasizes the insanity of the whole film. St. Phalle is in her early forties and still very attractive here, but her therapeutic and ritualized dissection of her father doesn't feel successful, and I came away from this film feeling sad for her. Recommended only to people with a strong interest in the artist. The direction and cinematography are merely competent.
3 Reviews
Paterast
tedg2 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Regular readers know that I'm pretty tolerant. Something has to be pretty extreme for me to declare it not worth exploring.
Films near the boundary may be simply bad (in terms of ineffectively made) but have some charm. Or they may be well enough made but require entry into a world that in the end doesn't seem to have been worth it. This is extreme in both measures.
here's what you will encounter;
There exists a very bad artist by the name of Niki De Saint Phalle. She makes crude pieces.
She is the writer of this film, and also the chief character, playing herself. It is an apparently therapeutic project to punish her father for sexually abusing her. Her father appears. The first half shows us the abuse, with her narrating by directly speaking to him in the film. The second half is him in wheelchair being tortured by her acting things out.
In that second half, she acquires a schoolgirl to taunt him with, someone that she herself fondles to arouse him.
Believe me, that even with this, it sounds more interesting than it is. It is incredibly poorly made. Unfortunately, she has this desire to always either be looking at us and speaking into the camera, or showing us some of her artwork, often childish drawings with some perversion apparent.
It isn't often that I warn people away from a movie. Usually I can find some redeeming value.
Not here.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
Films near the boundary may be simply bad (in terms of ineffectively made) but have some charm. Or they may be well enough made but require entry into a world that in the end doesn't seem to have been worth it. This is extreme in both measures.
here's what you will encounter;
There exists a very bad artist by the name of Niki De Saint Phalle. She makes crude pieces.
She is the writer of this film, and also the chief character, playing herself. It is an apparently therapeutic project to punish her father for sexually abusing her. Her father appears. The first half shows us the abuse, with her narrating by directly speaking to him in the film. The second half is him in wheelchair being tortured by her acting things out.
In that second half, she acquires a schoolgirl to taunt him with, someone that she herself fondles to arouse him.
Believe me, that even with this, it sounds more interesting than it is. It is incredibly poorly made. Unfortunately, she has this desire to always either be looking at us and speaking into the camera, or showing us some of her artwork, often childish drawings with some perversion apparent.
It isn't often that I warn people away from a movie. Usually I can find some redeeming value.
Not here.
Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
Wonderful going all the way
mrdonleone14 June 2022
One of the most beautiful movies I've seen in a long time and it made me feel very connected because of childhood abuse that I witnessed myself. This movie contains it all and how we all want to have her revenge on around doors and yet how this might not be the correct solution Indians. A love nudity everywhere it is remarkable that you can see these money images still and corrupted by left wing society nowadays you wet yourself ok don't bleed on my face I love you you so anyway to continue it's a beautiful movie and it's it's going deep to the problem in our society nowadays and because of this we need all to watch this and for children on the chairs to see this kind of movies The Truman show is what life is all about: love and children. The rest is but second base.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
