Violet (II) (2021) User Reviews

note to self

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 19 March 2021]

SXSW 2021 Greetings again from the darkness. Justine Bateman's first feature film as writer-director acts an education for men and a wake-up call for women. And it's welcome and effective on both fronts. Olivia Munn ("The Newsroom") stars as Violet, a film industry executive whose self-doubts and lack of confidence prevent her from every really feeling happiness. Her inner voice - she calls it "the committee" feeds her bad ju-ju and keeps her obsessed with safe decisions, rather than dynamic ones ... both personally and professionally.

As an example, her inner voice (Justin Theroux) pushes her to date an older, boring film executive for the sake of her career, rather than her screenwriting life-long friend Red (Luke Bracey) who clearly thinks more highly of Violet than she does herself. Violet's boss (Dennis Boutsikaris) purposefully belittles her which causes some of her staff to also show little respect. Violet does have some supporters who recognize the talent and strength within her, but of course, it's Violet who must come to terms with the disconnect between achieving happiness and the way she makes choices.

We see flashbacks to Violet's childhood and understand how the seeds of self-doubt were planted. The supporting cast is excellent and very deep, though some (Bonnie Bedelia for one) only appear briefly. Filmmaker Bateman uses on screen script to let us know what's going on in Violet's mind as it battles with her "committee". It's a trick that serves the purpose well. Some may recall the "Seinfeld" episode where George does "the opposite". Well that sentiment serves Violet well and puts her on the road to recovery ... and to silencing that darn committee. A terrific first feature from Ms. Bateman, and kudos for the closing credits which put the crew on camera.

Enough Already

[DavoZed · 6/10 · 16 September 2021]

A great idea but the endless nagging gets old very quickly. The same idea, with more subtle execution, would have made a much better movie.

And why is the voice in her head, a man's voice? She's a woman and she was ground down by her mother, another woman. A man's voice makes NO sense.

Good but the voice should have been female

[cwhitehead-48339 · 7/10 · 20 March 2022]

I agree this is for those with that internal dialogue but my only complaint is the voice should have been female. Not sure why it's male. I thought maybe she was Schizophrenic or something.

Hummm...

[gab-67599 · 6/10 · 12 November 2021]

I went into this movie knowing very little about it. That being said this was NOT a movie for me or one I myself would choose to see. By minute 24 of this movie I was already wondering why I had even started watching this. Poor Violet was all I kept thinking. I thought the lead was incredible and I loved her acting in this movie. It felt like the movie just stopped at the end and nothing was really explained or resolved. It was like you had a front row seat into someone's mind but the outcome left you unsatisfied. Maybe this is someone else's cup of tea, just not mine.

Nice cringe material here

[edgy-827-486965 · 2/10 · 9 November 2021]

Rotten fox and dead fish heads + male inner voice who suggest only bad decisions + stupid vanilla quotes like "I want go into your lake" and more random stuff glued together in this laughably exercise in wannabe art-filming, but this is actually nothing more then typical hallmark love story, yes, this is SO bad. Voice and text on screen WAS good idea, but script and all that just make me cringe.

In Your Head

[jeroduptown · 7/10 · 4 June 2022]

Violet is a film exec that is living under the weight of a fear-based mindset. The film is interesting because you see her hopes contrasted with the fear's voice while the action is happening. It's a slow break from the past, but a fresh look at the inner workings of a modern mind.

Enjoyed the film

[branstarone · 3/10 · 11 January 2023]

I liked the film and how Violet overcame her evil inner voice and listened to her heart in the end. However after watching the film for a second time. I watched the ending credits and the footage of the crew at the end. It still astounds me that Hollywood continues to make films with all Caucasian crews and casts in this day and age. No where else does this occur and continues to occur. Hollywood needs to do better and be more inclusive like it claims to be! We all need to have the opportunity to work in industries that have a history of excluding people of color. I am a fan of the movie business and it's one of my favorite pastimes. But this exclusion continues to mystify me as well as irk me at times. When I watch movies.

Those who GET THIS will get this!

[catfanatic888 · 9/10 · 24 November 2021]

Many people suffer from severe anxiety disorders and schizophrenia as well. Many of the scenes were like memories in my own life, feeling insecure and having continuous self talk in your brain. It can be debilitating. Even with medication. I'm a Vice President of a company but I still struggle sometimes. This character that Olivia Munn played FABULOUSLY is a groundbreaking one in a small limited release film. If you DON'T understand this movie, try to imagine what this must be like for someone. It's a real challenge. Cheers to Olivia Munn for her brave and authentic performance. Violet is a character that I will remember.

Tried way too hard

[brchthethird · 6/10 · 12 December 2021]

"I'm going over that line." There, saved you 90 minutes.

In all seriousness, this was quite impressive for a debut film. Olivia Munn was great in the title role, and this probably the best thing she's ever done. However, and this is a big caveat, the style nearly chokes the story being told, what with a critical inner voice, inner thoughts written out on screen, and a hyperactive editing style. It all was a little much, to be honest. I wouldn't be surprised if Justine Bateman was an overachiever in school. And thematically, I think the film is hurt by its complete lack of subtlety. While line-crossing does have its place, life is more about finding harmony and balance. They say to write what you know, but I think a more effective, nuanced film could have been made were it not set in the world of Hollywood and the movie business. Probably won't watch this again, but I am interested in seeing Bateman's follow-up.

INSTAGRAM STORY: THE MOVIE

[naturenomad · 1/10 · 15 November 2021]

I really wanted to love this movie, I think Oliva Munn is a great actress and very talented however this pretentious film plays like nails on chalkboard. The font, voice in head and graphics immediately throws you off in the most hideously annoying way. I get what Justin Bateman was trying to convey but honestly this was one of the most annoying movies I've seen in ages.

It's like the worst Instagram Story come to life. Nothing is compelling. A misfire on all levels. Avoid like the Delta Virus.

Vastly underrated, reviewers need more appreciation for indie filmmaking

[GIJoel6 · 9/10 · 20 March 2022]

The script and the artistic vision for how to present this story, both the responsibility of Justine Bateman, were brilliant. Acting by Olivia Munn was perfect. Supporting cast more than adequate. Pacing is strong, selection of locations easily makes up for low set decoration budget. Story packs an emotional wallop without losing a sense of irony and humor. Left me feeling I'd rather see ten movies like this than one 200 million dollar CGI-filled action epic. Well done all around.

Wish I could rate higher

[wjarod77 · 6/10 · 10 July 2022]

The film deals with some rather heavy topics, which is awesome. Unfortunately, it is handled in a completely unrealistic way. Violet just decides to ignore her lifelong anxiety issues away and poof they are gone. If only it were that easy to fight mental illness. Also the stupid cutscenes when the internal voice negs her are annoying and detract from the story.

A struggle to sit through the dialogue and monologue...

[paul_haakonsen · 3/10 · 1 February 2022]

As I sat down to watch the 2021 drama "Violet" from writer and director Justine Bateman here in 2022, I have to admit that I wasn't sure what I was in for here, as I hadn't heard about the movie. I figured with it being a movie that I hadn't already seen and it having Olivia Munn in the lead role then chances were that it wouldn't be all bad.

But wow, talk about a swing and a miss from writer and director Justine Bateman in terms of concocting a storyline and delivering a movie that offered me much entertainment or enjoyment.

It was such a drag to sit through this ordeal of a movie and watch Violet struggle through her life filled with insecurities and such, and having to juggle between listening to the dialogue spoken by the actors and actresses, having to read the written thoughts on the screen and also listening to the male voice portraying Violet's thoughts during it was just simply too much. One thing took focus away from the other, and there were three things to keep track off. Well, essentially four things, because you also have to keep focus on the storyline events, not just the dialogue and inner monologue.

Sure, the movie had some nice actors and actresses on the cast list, but the movie's storyline and characters just fell short of entertaining me. Well, actually the Violet character - played by Olivia Munn - was nice enough, but sort of drowned away in the various dialogue and monologue.

And it didn't really help that the narrative aspect of the story is slow paced and not having a whole lot of anything overly interesting happening throughout the course of the entire movie. So yeah, "Violet" was a struggle to sit through and keep having an interest in.

My rating of "Violet" lands on a generous three out of ten stars, as this was certainly something of an acquired taste, which ultimately didn't fit my taste.

Tough to hinge a plot around a device

[sgmi-53579 · 6/10 · 10 December 2022]

Aiming for some higher artistic aspirations, Violet is centered around our title character, played by Olivia Munn, who is controlled by an inner voice, who controls her with fear and self doubt. It's an interesting premise, as we hear both the voice as well as Violet's inner monologue written across the screen. Curious, but after awhile tedious, so we're left with one question: without the device, would the story still stand? Perhaps. It's a mildly developed romance, and a woman in an unfulfilling career. Picks up in the second half but the device isn't clever of fully formed enough for an entire picture, and the remaining story isn't interesting enough. Watchable and interesting as a film experiment, and for the viewer after a different cinema experience.

Gawd awful and amateurish.

[sheknowsit · 2/10 · 2 June 2022]

To be fair, I didn't even get through the first half hour. Seems like a bad film school movie. Just unwatchable. I gave it two stars because Olivia Munn is great but the talking bully voice is just grating, not groundbreaking. And BTW, I have worked in the film industry so I "get it," and I still hated it.

Decent Story, but poor execution

[sandy777 · 5/10 · 28 December 2021]

Justine Bateman presented a decent story idea, but her weak execution limited its appeal. The voice overs and the writing of the main character's thoughts on screen distracted rather than added to the story. These weren't necessary to drive the story and came across as over the top and told information that either was evident or didn't need to be shared for a compelling story. I appreciate Justine Bateman's efforts, but she needs to trust her writing and directing abilities more. She suffers from the same insecurities as her main character. The story of Violet would have worked better if more subtle. Olivia Munn is a good lead actress, Justine should have let her sell the story, not the gimmicks.

Recommended for anyone that suffers from personal anxieties

[Horror_Flick_Fanatic · 9/10 · 29 May 2022]

I liked it. Initially I was put off by the large script writing on the screen. I think it could have been less intrusive on the frame. Nevertheless, I did like the character, her inner doubts and insecurities, her need to conform to fit in, her internal struggles with both herself and those around her. Her overall anxiety at the workplace and in her personal life. Not feeling good enough or worthy enough. I could very much identify with her even though I am a male. These anxieties and challenges happen to both genders. I deal with anxieties and OCD all my life too so I could see myself in this character. I especially loved our she overcame it. Especially with the death of her mother and the family dynamics. I had a very similar experience with an older brother. The way she responded to that event gave me personal solace that I did the right thing in my own life.

Would have been a BRILLIANT short piece - IMHO

[thejdrage · 5/10 · 11 April 2022]

This film gave me a headache - with "notes" at the bottom, top, side; voice overs, flashes of bizarre clips of things being demolished biologically and other ways, tones going to sepia. I am sure it was meant to make me feel as if I were in her head, but it was too much in her head. Too much of a sad thing. Several reviewers who suffer the way she does in the film have praised it, and I honor that.

But my head isn't built to withstand that type of pressure and punishment - especially by choice.

But, after half an hour of being in her head with zero let up, I can't endure any more. So after 30 minutes (I thought that was fair), I fast forwarded to the closing credits which also got rave reviews. They were interesting. I especially appreciated the VERY end of the credits! BRILLIANT!

Sends an important message

[ydnjyfgmt · 10/10 · 25 November 2021]

I think this film sends an important message for some people. People that have been mentally abused and broken down and pushed around in their life need to watch this movie. This is how you move forward. Never let people break you down. I like this movie.

Good idea wasted on flat plot for the second half

[TheOneThatYouWanted · 3/10 · 20 May 2023]

A different kind of film.

A good idea but poorly directed and poorly written. What a shame because the lead actress does knock her performance out of the park; and she happens to be the only real reason to watch this film at all. Sometimes a script will just tank a film and this is the case here, when it comes to the film. It needs more story and kind of just chucks things at the ending. This is a risk some film makers make, they take a good idea and run with it but if you just coast off an idea without giving it the stuffing it needs, you get what happens to this film. What a shame.

You are safe skipping this.

Tiresome inaccurate movie

[flashfluidimdb · 4/10 · 12 September 2022]

The style of this movie, with the character hearing her internal voices through all the story and handwritten notes being projected on the screen all the time, leaves you tired and bored. It's difficult to pay attention to the actors or anything else. This could have been a fine add-on to tell a more compelling story, but they have overdone this.

Add to it that a clear burnout case (like the main character's) does not get cured miraculously just after she decides to take control of her life and finds love. No, I'm afraid one will have to work harder on any psychology issues to get better. Movies are rarely the best source for psychological advice and this is not an exception.

Well done!

[kerrya-63141 · 9/10 · 3 December 2021]

This is the first film I've seen that has shown so clearly, the mental anguish of anxiety condition & post childhood abuse and/or neglect. Did a great job of showing visually how that feels & how it affects daily life - so well done! Good tips to deal with and/or overcome it too, thank you.

A story of self-empowerment / turning your life around

[LoverofAllThingsFilm · 8/10 · 26 March 2022]

Some of the reviews here I've read don't make a lot of sense to me. I thought every component of the film worked perfectly. Although I think the situation portrayed is definitely relatable to a lot of women, and the aspects of self-doubt / self-criticism are likely much more deeply ingrained for women in our present society, I could easily relate to this as a male. A lot of us (women and men) have been raised to be people-pleasers and put other people's interests and feelings ahead of our own. I can easily relate to hearing the voice and seeing the internal thoughts and stopping myself from doing the things that would more likely than not make me happier. And it made sense for the voice to be a male because regardless of who may have been the influence on you when you were young, the voice of society telling us to keep things under wraps is most definitely patriarchal. I have friends who I see doing the exact same thing in their day-to-day lives to whom I plan to recommend this film. Overall, I think this film was very empowering and important in that a lot of people can hopefully learn something from it. And if you walked away thinking this movie was pointless or that it was just a "Hallmark romance," maybe you're one of those people who so often takes advantage of people like Violet in this world.

It's not trying to be arty

[gemfesty · 10/10 · 16 November 2021]

The style represents her internal dialogue - as I would describe true OCD with intrusive thoughts and images. The film contains great visualisations of mood.

There is a very sweet romantic story woven into what was a wonderful feel good movie as a whole. Solid performances by the leads. Loved the closing credits!

Would be nice not to understand this movie

[KarneKorn · 10/10 · 21 March 2022]

If I didn't understand this movie, I would also score it low. This film depicts how words can become the inner voice in people who were raised in an unloving verbally abusive home. If this film is too much for you it's because the director did an outstanding job at portraying the thoughts and emotions that come from a childhood no one wants. There were so many things going on in the film: the words on the screen, the voices in her head, the actions she took. This was all necessary to make the audience understand the character. This is as close to understanding someone's thought process who comes from this type of childhood trauma. Be thankful this doesn't make sense to you.