MUMBLESPUNK STREAMER | The Pleasure of Being Robbed

Currently available via Lovefilm

This is one of those movies that you watch and instantly have to check the internet to see if other people hated it as much as you did. Within minutes I realised that I was not alone in thinking that this is an utter waste of your time with no redeeming elements and, when it comes in at under seventy minutes, that is some achievement.

Whether it be the kleptomaniac protagonist who is an opportunist in her stealing and so ends up with very little of interest, the way that she and her friends are painted in such individualistic fashion with her ‘playing table tennis when she is shit at table tennis’ and her friend ‘having his duvet suspended above his bed by a pulley for no reason at all’, the narrative that relies on the random theft moving it forward, which unsurprisingly, doesn’t work, or the dialogue being uninteresting, stunted pointlessness, this film seems to be the work of someone with absolutely fuck all to say. In fact, I’d argue that someone who relentlessly films a family holiday to Orlando could cut their footage into something more enjoyable to a wide audience.

When you then add in the irrelevant, dreamlike ending, the learning to drive in a matter of seconds, and cops who, amongst other irresponsible shit, leave their car doors open in the street when investigating something, this becomes a film that illuminates one of the major issues with the mumblecore movement. If anyone can get hold of a camera and make a film then ambitionless, talentless, worthless crap like this can get made and that is a real shame. Do not watch unless you have seen every other film out there.

My Verdict: Streamehhhhhhhhhhh

DAN

MUMBLESPUNK STREAMER | Puffy Chair

Currently available via Netflix US

This was the feature debut of the Duplass brothers in every possible way. It was the first time that they had both written and produced a movie as well as the first time Jay had directed and Mark had acted in one. In this way it reminds me ever so slightly of Bottle Rocket, a film that launched the careers of Owen Wilson as an actor, Wes Anderson as a director and them both as writers. The films are comparable in other ways too, they both feel as though they are featuring lovable and yet slightly effected characters that the film-makers are not afraid to show everyone their flaws because they paint them with such affection. They both also have this energy, this excitement that even in the slower scenes somehow simmers below the surface. Basically, it is obvious that each set of film-makers have a desire and message that they want to convey in film and that pulsates through their respective movies.

That’s where the comparison ends. The Puffy Chair, in true mumblecore fashion, is weak on plot. Josh (Duplass) travels across the country with his tightly-wound girlfriend (Aselton) and his hippy brother (Wilkins) to pick up and deliver a chair that he bought from eBay to his dad for his birthday. The majority of the ‘action’ takes place in the town where they are meant to collect the chair from but this largely revolves around killing time and an unlikely romance. Where this movie differs from regular mumblecore is in the technical aspect. This feels like a properly plotted movie, with a higher level of either equipment or competence in the cinematography and direction, and far better acting. Duplass feels comfortable on screen and the film seems anchored by his performance, while Wilkins for me steals the show with his soft comic touch.

This reads like a glowing review and perhaps it doesn’t quite deserve the level of praise that I’m bestowing upon it, but this was my second viewing of this movie in the last three months and, unexpected to me, it actually managed to improve second time round. If you like Mark Duplass as an actor then I definitely think that this is worth your time.

Verdict: Streamer

DAN

MUMBLESPUNK STREAMER | Uncle Kent

Currently available via Netflix and Netflix US

A weekend in the life of Kent Osborne, a Spongebob Squarepants illustrator, as he attempts to bed a friend, Kate (Prediger), that he made online who is staying with him. That’s the plot and, at 72 minutes, this at times feels more like an episode of a faked reality TV programme than it does a feature. But, as with the majority of mumblecore movies, what this film lacks in plot it attempts to make up for by representing real people in real situations. Of course, some might say that itself is indicative of reality TV too, albeit a reality framed by the director.

This film hinges quite strongly on Kent and fortuitously he is not a guy that you struggle to relate to. Having reached his forties whilst still living alone with his cat, this is an interesting insight to a man who seems desperate to both get close to someone and maintain an image of nonchalance towards love to his friends. It is the precarious relationship between Kent and Kate, who states that she is in a relationship yet issues an abundance of mixed signals and some not so mixed signals, that kept me intrigued and, by splitting it into days, it elicited a similar guttural reaction to Paranormal Activity every time the sun came up.

This is another movie that will not change the views of those who dislike mumblecore, but one that is definitely worth a watch for those that either do or haven’t given the genre a chance yet.

Verdict: Streamer

DAN

MUMBLESPUNK STREAMER | Cold Weather

Currently available via Lovefilm and Netflix US

In my currently limited experience of Mumblecore, I have generally found the movies to have very little narrative. It’s basically a bunch of people doing something pretty simple (buying a chair off ebay, picking it up and taking to his dad’s house - Puffy Chair, or simply going to a mate’s cabin in the woods - My Effortess Brilliance) and any enjoyment would be found in the characters and their interactions. Cold Weather isn’t quite like that.

It starts slow though so don’t give up on it. Doug (Lankenau) returns home to live with his sister, Gail (Dunn), after dropping out of college. While there he befriends Rachel (Rikoon), an ex-girlfriend, and when she later goes missing suspiciously it is down to him, Gail and Carlos (Castillo), a work friend, to solve the mystery. It shouldn’t work, but it does somehow.

The naturalistic, colloquial nature of mumblecore means that, unlike other mainstream movies that have placed a regular joe into a massive conspiracy and watched them somehow work everything out, these characters remain utterly relate-able. With their only experience being Doug’s love and Carlos’ new-found interest in Sherlock Holmes novels, the three of them react realistically to every situation and, on the few occasions when the clues or riddles become a little unrealistic, it is funny.

This is not a perfect movie but what is achieved within the confines of the budget makes it worth a watch.

My Verdict: Streamer

DAN

MUMBLESPUNK STREAMER: My Effortless Brilliance

Currently available via Lovefilm

My Effortless Brilliance is effortlessly fine. I can’t really offer more praise than that for it as there really is very little to it. A pretentious, unlikable author is visited by his friend who calls him an arse and then, sometime later, said unlikable author goes to visit friend in his remote cabin in the woods and experience his life for a while, a life far removed from his own. The film ends when he leaves. There are no obvious character developments, the two get closer I guess but then that doesn’t surprise me as they were obviously pals at some point and when stuck with someone for a weekend you either sulk, yell at them incessantly or just get on with it. Here they go for the latter, opting for realism over drama.

And that is mumblecore I guess. There are four characters in the film, one of which is only in one scene, and the narrative is driven by conversations so natural that all four actors also get a writing credit. Sean Nelson playing Eric, the pretentious and unlikable actor, is great at being that but, in a trait seen in several other films of this movement, he is the person you dislike most in the film and so it becomes a little difficult to want to go through this with him. Basil Harris as Dylan, the old friend, and Calvin Reeder as Jim, a friend of Dylan’s who also lives in the woods, are both far more approachable and comfortable characters and it is a strange sensation when Eric says something underhand and abhorrent to one of those characters and you almost feel embarrassed because he is your representation on screen.

This film feels very natural and the constant shots of the countryside that are captured quite remarkably at times act as a precursor to Shelton’s latest movie, Your Sister’s Sister. Shelton has definitely identified herself as someone who can create a compelling story from the normality of life. While you might argue that this film doesn’t aim to achieve anything and offers very little because of this, I was somewhat entertained and at 79 minutes it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. Unfortunately that’s still not enough for me to recommend it.

My verdict:Streameh

DAN