The Unbelievable Truth

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Eric E Big fan of the Criterion Channel (streaming) and this month they released a new collection based upon the works of director Hal Hartley, whom I'd never heard of before. There's an overall tone with this movie which is a little Michael Lynchey (without the weirdness), but even more like an American version of Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai's style. Not in terms of WKW famous cinematography, but in other aspects of tone and story. Like WKW, there is subversive quality of this film that is hard to pin down where the movie doesn't come off as immediately good. You just have to sit there and marinate in the work and it sort of starts to wash over you. And while I generally fall for 80s movie, I also really like 80s movies that don't necessarily feel like or contain all the tropes of 80s movies--of which this is one. This film has a very 90s indie feel generally (NOT mumblecore). I'm thinking of Linklater's earliest works and for some reason George Sluizer's The Vanishing (1989). The scene between Josh (Robert John Burke) and Jane (Omgosh that was Edie Falco⁉️) that goes: Jane: '"That girl is crazy." Josh: "I know, but I like her." etc. ...was understatedly hilarious. Audry and Pearl (Julia McNeal, who also resembles Gillian Jacobs) are super pretty, but edge goes to Audry (Adrienne Shelly, RIP--tragic 2006 death--read her wiki). Maybe because I have Woody Allen on-the-mind currently, just as a general plot, I could see this situation coming from the pen of Allen (not the prose/dialog style). My only real critique was that The dad character (Chris Cooke) was easily swayed in multiple directions (but perhaps that's simply his character trait) and there was a lot of situational/plot convenience during act 3. Some of the time jumps seem a little too abrupt (pacing and cutting-wise) and like script training wheels as well. But overall I really enjoyed the movie and am looking forward to diving into the filmography of Hal Hartley. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/07/23 Full Review isla s This is a quirky, arty, coming of age type film. Its I suppose a bit typical of such films about people resettling into a smallish rural town following time spent elsewhere. I've seen similar films I think. It has a fairly authentic feel to it, which I liked. The cast do pretty well I thought. Its somewhat thought provoking I suppose. Yes, I'd recommend this film - its a little slow and may bore some but its thoughtful and still felt intriguing enough to keep my attention. The pissed off/frustrated father character did make me laugh a bit. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review John S It may be hard for some contemporary viewers to find their footing in this idiosyncratic but wonderful film from another era. But having seen it and loved it (and like everyone else i knew fallen in love with the amazing Adrienne Shelley) when it came out, I was overjoyed to find in rewatching it that it is as deep, dreamy and delightful as I remembered. A joy marred only by the knowledge of Shelley's subsequent tragic fate. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/24/22 Full Review William L When The Unbelievable Truth first opens, we witness a fresh-out-the-joint mechanic getting kicked out of the car he was hitchhiking in, and it's very clear that he exits the vehicle from the front seat after being shown riding in the rear. At first, you think it's a production gaffe, but as the plot unfolds it becomes clear that such a move was an early hint at the kind of tone the rest of film maintains - deliberate shoddiness and excessively hammy delivery (or at least, a rough-edged style). Actors are constantly doling out their lines as if they are in a community theater production and their sole experience with acting comes from watching old '50s melodramas, but it's all part of the design, far more so than the actual plot, which falls second not only to tone but to dialogue designed to deliver a series of quotable one-liners and self-references. A movie with this sort of style could only ever be relegated to indie cult status, but it is certainly unique and distinctive, and it's easy to see how this film could generate a passionate niche following. The plot itself has a neat design - a convicted murderer returns to his hometown and gets swept up in a series of romantic entanglements while surrounded by rumors about his own criminal past (nobody can quite seem to agree on the details of what he did), but it's really a matter of personal preference whether you can take that aspect of the film seriously when everyone is running around talking as if they are aliens impersonating real people. To me, it falls more under the 'endearingly strange' category than a particular favorite, but it's worth the watch, particularly given the short length. (3/5) Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/18/21 Full Review Audience Member Although he's never gained any wide notoriety as one of the leaders in the American indie film scene of the 90's, this debut film from Hal Hartley is a real gem. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Peacefully meanders. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Unbelievable Truth

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