Week Six
4th – 10th February 2019
I did this weird thing where I interacted with people in the real world and didn’t watch much this week.
And then everything I watched this week, I watched on Netflix – and shows that are originals or only available in the UK & Ireland on the streaming platform.
There is a lot shit on Netflix. A LOT. But it also seems to making some interesting commission choices and giving female directors such as Dee Rees and Tamara Jenkins the chance to make more films.
And then those women go and make amazing TV that everyone seems to be talking about – and you get a bit hopeful that this massive splash will open some doors for other female writers who are going to tell wonderful, weird and not weird stories that will be fresh and new.
Russian Doll (Series 1)
Creators: Leslye Headland; Natasha Lyonne; Amy Poehler
Directors: Leslye Headland; Jamie Babbitt; Natasha Lyonne
Where I watched it: Netflix
So. Yeh. This is amazing – the best TV show I have seen in a long time – and the most satisfying. Lyonne and Headland had talked about having a clear story in mind – that it should feel like a four-hour film – and it does.
It’s so great that this was written, produced, and directed entirely by women. Men are not shut out or dehumanised in this story but there is a distinct female perspective and a multitude of complex characters and relationships happening here. This needs a second watch – and I rarely feel that way about anything.
Mudbound
Director: Dees Rees
Writer(s): Virgil Williams; Dees Rees
Where I watched it: Netflix
I’ve had this film on my list for a while because it ticks a lot of boxes: WOC director, female DOP, complex female characters, but it was Cary Mulligan was being interviewed on The Girls on Film podcast and speaking about her role that kicked it up to being my choice for this week.
But gosh this film is long. And it fair plods because, while the cinematography is beautiful, it holds its novel origins too, too close.
The problem lies with the script and the inherent flaw of trying to cram an epic story into two hours fifteen minutes because Dee Rees’ direction both visually and working with her actors is beautiful – she is highly skilled.
And the writing isn’t bad – the dialogue is lyrical and beautiful and there are rich characters here – many, many and fine performances but they are crammed into a space that doesn’t gives us the space to explore any of the individual characters with real depth – and I struggle to identify a protagonist for the film. And so it feels like the first half of the film is setup for Jamie and Ronsel’s return from war and their doomed friendship. There’s a urgency in this storyline because we can forsee how it will turn out badly for the Ronsel – the tension being in how badly. But other aspects are glossed over so quickly – like Laura’s miscarriage and depression afterwards, and the pregnant woman who murders her husband because he is abusing their daughters. These could have been wonderful episodes instead of short sequences that feel underdeveloped within the film.
If this has been given six or eight hours to really breathe it would have been awe-inspiring – as it was, it was meh.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (S4)
E12 – Director: Jack Dolgen, Writer: Ilana Pena
E13 – Director: Stuart McDonald, Writer: Rene Gube
Where I watched it: Netflix
There’s a conceit within CXG that the songs mostly reflect Rebecca’s version of the world, that they are almost a coping mechanism, an outlet for her mental health issues – and I think that’s part of the reason why this season has felt light on songs – Rebecca has learnt how to manager her Borderline Personality Disorder with real-world skills and doesn’t disappear into her skewed world as often.
And so, when in E12 she gets into a relationship with #fakegreg and is very happy and stops working on her mental health – the songs come back with a bang.
It’s nice to see a TV show make a point that positive change happens gradually and take continual effort to maintain – it takes more than a one-off montage to change things in your life.
E12 revealed the flaw in the recasting of the Greg – the idea is great, and a brilliant way to get around an actor leaving …. But I don’t believe Skylar Austin hates anything let alone everything. He was fine when he was portraying happy, sorted, recovery Greg but fails when the misanthrope aspects that are so essential Greg’s character have to be portrayed. In “I hate everything … but you” he’s trying to tells us, “I’m still Greg” and all I can think is how AMAZING the song would have been done by Santino Fontana … like going out with someone who looks like a hotter version of your Ex and realising the personality falls flat.
Though I am still routing for Greg and Rebecca – despite them putting their relationship to one side in Episode 13 – actually because they’re putting their relationship to one side while she does more work on herself as a person. Greg accepts this graciously and agrees to be friends – contrast that with Nathaniel who just pushed and pushed Rebecca to get better quickly so they could be together – and Josh, who left her at the altar. Both of those characters have matured and grown but are still lacking Greg’s maturity – even in Series 2, Greg left because he knew despite their chemistry, he and Rebecca were a toxic combination due to both their issues and both need to grow.
And the LaLaLand pastiche – “Anti-Depressants are so not a big deal” is epically fun and enjoyable.