The Search for John Gissing (2002)
I’m not going to waste too much time on this one.
This is one of those “Goose Chase” films, where someone
leads someone else on a wild goose chase for a reason
unknown to us, until the film’s exposition exposes it.
We could give a fuck about Mike Binder (“Hollywood Knights”)
and Janeanne Garofalo. They play a young couple here,
transplanted to London because of his job. I say “play”
because nothing about this film rings true. We constantly
are conscious of the fact that we’re watching Binder
and Garofalo here. They are never “characters.” They
are always obvious.
Binder and Garofalo are well-suited as a couple
though, because they are, pretty much, the same person:
angst ridden middle aged professional with caustic,
biting wit. The guy giving them the old rigmarole is
Alan Rickman, an actor desperate for a role.
There is some funny stuff in “Gissing.” A segment
with a nun is filmed humorously, with Binder’s camera
(he wrote and directed in addition to starring) zooming
around to catch a glimpse of an exposed nipple. The
fact that this mammalian protuberance belongs to a singing
nun does make it all the more funny.
But Binder also has to edit with a butcher’s knife
because he allows his actors to improv a lot. He uses
multiple jump cuts and gives his film a real choppy,
novice feel.
Worse yet is Binder insistence on changing the
film from the “goose chase” to the “revenge” film in
the middle. None of the plot makes much sense. There
are some good jokes and some interesting twists and
turns but overall the film is pretty bland
Note:
Filmed in and around London.
There are a few Warhol paintings used in the sets.
Seen at SXSW 2002.
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Card
Script:
C-
Acting: C-
Cinematography\Lighting: C
Special Effects\Make Up: C
Music: C
Final
Grade: C-
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