6.9/10
16,433
131 user 106 critic

Storytelling (2001)

R | | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 8 November 2001 (Russia)
Storytelling Poster
Trailer
1:48 | Trailer

Watch Now

From $2.99 on Prime Video

ON DISC
College and high school serve as the backdrop for two stories about dysfunction and personal turmoil.

Director:

Todd Solondz

Writer:

Todd Solondz

Stars:

Selma Blair, Leo Fitzpatrick, Robert Wisdom | See full cast & crew »
50
Reviews
1 nomination. See more awards »

Videos

See all 2 videos  »

Photos

See all 27 photos »
Learn more

More Like This 








◄ Prev 6 Next 6 ►

Next »
Palindromes (2004)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.8/10 X  

Aviva is thirteen, awkward and sensitive. Her mother Joyce is warm and loving, as is her father, Steve, a regular guy who does have a fierce temper from time to time. The film revolves around her family, friends and neighbors.

Director: Todd Solondz
Stars: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ellen Barkin, Stephen Adly Guirgis
Next »
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.4/10 X  

An unattractive seventh grader struggles to cope with inattentive parents, snobbish classmates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister and her own insecurities in suburban New Jersey.

Director: Todd Solondz
Stars: Heather Matarazzo, Christina Brucato, Victoria Davis
Next »
Dark Horse (2011)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.9/10 X  

Romance blooms between two tricenarians in arrested development: an avid toy collector who is the dark horse of his family and a depressed woman on the rebound.

Director: Todd Solondz
Stars: Jordan Gelber, Selma Blair, Christopher Walken
Next »
Life During Wartime (2009)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.4/10 X  

Friends, family, and lovers struggle to find love, forgiveness, and meaning in an almost war-torn world riddled with comedy and pathos.

Director: Todd Solondz
Stars: Shirley Henderson, Allison Janney, Ally Sheedy
Next »
Happiness (1998)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.8/10 X  

The lives of several individuals intertwine as they go about their lives in their own unique ways, engaging in acts society as a whole might find disturbing in a desperate search for human connection.

Director: Todd Solondz
Stars: Jane Adams, Jon Lovitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Next »
Fear, Anxiety & Depression (1989)
Comedy
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.1/10 X  

Ira is a nervous playwright waiting and hoping to succeed with his art, which he takes it very seriously. But following his dreams and ambitions isn't something easy to do, specially when ... See full summary »

Director: Todd Solondz
Stars: Todd Solondz, Max Cantor, Alexandra Gersten
Next »
Wiener-Dog (2016)
Comedy | Drama
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.9/10 X  

A dachshund passes from oddball owner to oddball owner, whose radically dysfunctional lives are all impacted by the pooch.

Director: Todd Solondz
Stars: Greta Gerwig, Keaton Nigel Cooke, Tracy Letts
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Selma Blair ... Vi (segment "Fiction")
Leo Fitzpatrick ... Marcus (segment "Fiction")
Robert Wisdom ... Mr. Scott (segment "Fiction")
Maria Thayer ... Amy (segment "Fiction")
Angela Goethals ... Elli (segment "Fiction")
Devorah Rose ... Lucy (segment "Fiction")
Nancy Anne Ridder Nancy Anne Ridder ... Joyce (segment "Fiction")
Steve Rosen ... Ethan (segment "Fiction") (as Steven Rosen)
Aleksa Palladino ... Catherine (segment "Fiction")
Mary Lynn Rajskub ... Melinda (segment "Fiction")
Tina Holmes ... Sue (segment "Fiction")
Paul Giamatti ... Toby Oxman (segment "Non-Fiction")
Mike Schank Mike Schank ... Mike (segment "Non-Fiction")
Xander Berkeley ... Mr. DeMarco (segment "Non-Fiction")
Mark Webber ... Scooby Livingston (segment "Non-Fiction")
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

Storytelling is comprised of two separate stories set against the sadly comical terrain of college and high school, past and present. Following the paths of its young hopeful/ troubled characters, it explores issues of sex, race, celebrity and exploitation Written by Fine Line Features

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

black comedy | high school | college | documentary filmmaker | high school student | See All (145) »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, language and some drug use | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

Diaphania -French site(fr) | New Line [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Release Date:

8 November 2001 (Russia) See more »

Also Known As:

Untitled Todd Solondz Project See more »

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA See more »
Edit

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$73,688, 27 January 2002, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$912,442, 24 March 2002
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Killer Films, Good Machine See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the characters asks Toby Oxman if the documentary he's making can get into Sundance. Previously, Todd Solondz got a Grand Jury prize for his film Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995). See more »

Goofs

Length of Scooby's joint when he and Toby first meet. See more »

Quotes

Vi: Do you... think I have potential... as a writer?
[after a pause]
Mr. Scott: No.
[another ugly pause]
Vi: Thank you for being honest.
See more »

Alternate Versions

R1 DVD includes both R and unrated versions. See more »

Connections

References The Celebration (1998) See more »

Soundtracks

A Real Mother for Ya
Performed by Johnny 'Guitar' Watson
Written by Johnny 'Guitar' Watson
Published by Vrijon Music
Courtesy of Spirit One Music and Jake Hooker
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the differences between the R-Rated and Unrated Version?
See more »

User Reviews

 
It has a beginning a middle and (most definitely) an end!
11 February 2002 | by Rogue-32 – See all my reviews

Another completely original, dark, deeply skewered and audacious commentary on society from Todd S., whom we've come to depend upon for this sort of thing. Not as focused as Dollhouse or as filled-out as Happiness, Storytelling does seem sparse, and that's one of the things I like best about it (I've seen it 4 times now)- how T.S. didn't feel the need to conform to what the majority of film goers (even his OWN crowd!) expect when they enter a theatre.

It's divided into two parts - Fiction, with its heavy sexual, presumably-racist and ironic elements, a searing affair that many people seem to have found offensive without getting the underlying satire, and then there's Non-Fiction; amazing how much spot-on societal jabs T. S. squeezes into this one, and plus it has another great, multi-layered performance from Paul Giamatti, always a major selling point of any film, for me.

The bottom line: I believe T.S. deserves credit for his audacity alone, his unwillingness to compromise his vision, however unacceptable it might be. Or he might be consciously tailoring his vision toward the unacceptable, sort of like Andy Kaufman did - getting off on just making people react, shaking them out of indifference. Or maybe, like some people have suggested, he's run out of ideas (or he peaked with Dollhouse) and he's just rehashing the same stuff, hoping nobody will notice. Or maybe he WANTS us to notice, maybe it's a cry for help, in which case I would recommend a writing class, but NOT one that has Robert Wisdom as the professor.
9 of 14 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
Review this title | See all 131 user reviews »
Getting Started | Contributor Zone »

Contribute to This Page

Stream Trending TV Series With Prime Video

Explore popular and recently added TV series available to stream now with Prime Video.

Start your free trial


Clear your history

Recently Viewed