Me and You and Everyone We Know

[cleangenie]

This is about the most original story I have seen in a very long time. It was definitely not a perfect movie but the complexity and kindness Miranda July showed toward her characters was amazing.

I am surprised there has not been more discussion about the "sexual" knowingness of the seven year old, where he really seems to understand human need without being informed by actual experience. Does that make sense? You have to see it.

Also, the co-worker at the shoe store could also be seen as a total scumbag but he was way too complex to be written off. Stupid but complex.

Strangely, I thought the two main characters were not as well drawn as many of the others.

There was another movie this year, Millions in which people do questionable things but in both cases the film makers are more interested in redemption than condemnation. Really good movies (Millions was better but this was very very good, too). Kindness is such a rare thing these days and both these movies really had it.

[orchidthief]

I really liked it. There were many sad and funny moments, most of which were brilliantly executed. I loved the gold fish sequence, as well as the poop talk via IM scene.

But then again, I'm a sucker for any films involving lonely characters who long for any human connection.

I can't wait for Miranda July's next film. She has quite an amazing vision. And it's nice to see a small project like this garnering accolades and attention. (And plus, she's a female--it's always nice to see a director without a dick succeed in the film business.)

[cleangenie]

The Chicago Reader says the movie is about loneliness. I got that but I think transcends loneliness and is more hopeful.

The young girls were portrayed very realistically, especially the way they kind of egged each on. I thought the bolder girl wasn't really happy with how she was behaving but felt she had to take a "leadership" role. I think she was really embarrassed by how she was acting.

[JeanBean]

I thought this movie was terrible. I seem to be in the minority, though, so here goes...I thought the character development was really weak, like she had the movie laid out in her head in vignettes that were visually arresting, i.e. the dad lighting his hand on fire, the note taped to the window for the two girls, her in the store with the socks on her ears. But there wasn't enough narrative momentum behind any of them for me to feel more than "Huh, that's kind of cute/crazy."

This was also one of those movies where everyone is supposed to be saying deeply profound things, but it was totally forced and ordinary - almost like a parody of the psuedo-intellectual independent movie.

I was so disappointed. I heard such great things, and I love to support an indie woman writer and director, but...sigh. There, I'm done.