Ten Tiny Love Stories

Ten Tiny Stories is a copy of the film "Amores", directed by Domingos de Oliveira in 1998. In Rio de Janeiro, at the end of the millennium, a group of friends share their lives and experiences with each other. They are mostly middle-aged. The central characters played by Domingos de Oliveira and Priscilla Rozenbaum are inseparable buddies involved in a friendship that's more like extended therapy and philosophizing sessions. Their dialogues dominate the film, and involve many other people. Chief among them: the de Oliveira' character's daughter, her boyfriends, the Rozenbaum character's husband, mistresses and lovers including an HIV positive gay Brazilian recently back from abroad

I'll tell you. The thought of watching 10 woman talk about personal moments in their lives didn't sound too enticing. Especially when it was going to be recorded as a dead-on monologue with static camera, etc. Nonetheless, Rodgrio Garcia (THINGS YOU CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT HER, NINE LIVES) exceeded my expectations with his vignette film TEN TINY LOVE STORIES. Although some of the monologues are better than others, it is truly a showcase of great writing/acting. My favorite was Kimberly Anne Williams recalling a trip to Greece and her interesting encounters. However, it is also hard to forget Garcia stand-by Kathy Baker discussing lost love and life moving on. Check this one when you're feeling contemplative.

The idea of watching ten different monologues of women reminiscing about men may seem like a slow death to some viewers, but I found it intriguing to watch these actresses mine the most out of their characters with no safety net provided. As a heterosexual guy, I would recommend this film to other men as learning aid on how to listen to women in the very least, even if some scenes stretch credibility. I was particularly impressed with Kimberly Williams who I had not given much credit to as an actress before seeing this. She paints a vivid picture of the story she tells not only with her voice but with entire body language. I also continue to be impressed with Alicia Witt who continues to show more daring in her craft than most young actors.

In 10 stories written by the male director of the film, ten different women each tell the viewer about a former relationship. One of the women tells about her first sexual encounter, another tells about a blind date who was incredibly selfish and unfeeling, and still another about a man she met in Greece. Did any of these women really benefit from these encounters and can they offer the audience real advice about love? This movie is just bizarre. Each of the stories has some intriguing elements but none truly ring true, except, perhaps, for the last story. How many women, after all, fall for a puppeteer or get set up on a date with a man from Argentina? All of the actresses in the movie, however, do their best with the material provided. The best accolade one can give to this film is that its format is interesting and that's not showering it with praise. If you have a penchant for unusual and unknown films, you might take a chance with this movie. Otherwise, even those who love tales of romance will be sorely disappointed.

There are some good actresses in the picture, but every now and then they bump up against a word or a sentence that they simply can't put across as if it were spontaneous. Good try, but bad writing.