Week 9
25th February 2019 – 3rd March 2019
This week I watched three stories (Dirty John, Home Again, And Breathe Normally) with single mothers at their centre … and a fourth (The Breaker-Uppers) where a woman decides to become a single parent.
I’m going to do a separate, spoiler-filled post about those single mothers on screen but here’s the weekly round-up of what I was watching last week.
Dirty John – Series 1 (2019)
Director: Jeffery Reiner
Creator: Alexandra Cunningham
Netflix
Despite my love of podcasts, I hadn’t listened to the one this series is based on because I’m not a fan of “True Crime” stories - I’m becoming increasing uneasy about them if I’m honest.
But I had it in my head that this was supposed to be funny ... why, I don’t know. I did the same thing with Breaking Bad.
This is not funny. It has a couple of laughs in places but it is very dark. And if you haven’t ever done internet dating, it will terrify you - and will maybe do that even if you have.
This did not pan out as expected and instead of being another “bad man manipulates a naive woman” exploitation-fest it was at its core at exploration of the dynamics of abusive relationships.
From both sides - what kind of environment can shape a man like John, and why a woman wouldn’t run away when she got a whiff of who he was - why it can be so hard to leave someone who is bad for you - even if they are very bad. Debra’s family history is actually very compelling.
But the direction is a little ropey and the acting and characterisation was a little stereotypical- I found Juno Temple alternating between irritating and inspiring. And there were a few narrative dead ends - Veronica’s Uber driver flirtation?!? I watched all 8 episodes in 2 nights - so this will draw you in - and Bana is very charming, even if he has never set me a light. And it was strange seeing Connie Britton play such a meek character after her firecracker, Tammy from Friday Night Lights.
Ultimately I think the take away from this series are threefold - don’t ignore red flags, don’t get married after two months, and raise your daughters on The Walking Dead
The Breaker-uppers (2018)
Written & Directed by Madeline Sami & Jackie Van Beek
Netflix
This is bonkers. And good. But absolutely bonkers and the plot makes zero sense. I think some people have an idea that in comedies plot isn’t as important that the zany comedy can excuse uneven pacing and a lack of emotional journey - but that just leaves you feeling like it’s a hollow sketch show.
This is off-the-wall and there is a lot of good stuff but it just doesn’t hang together - it’s rare that I will stop watching a film mid-way and take a break. I did with this one and came back a couple of days later and did really enjoy the last half. But I think that was because of Ana Scotney’s Sepa is in more scenes in the 2nd half - she is hands down the funniest and best thing about this film. She is awesome.
This is so original and has such freshness and diversity and charm that I can almost forgive what a mess the script is and the how uneven the direction is ... so if you’re looking for something weird and accept its in a world of its own, you may like it.
But it’s great to see two mid-thirties performers getting to take the lead and shape a comedy and this is very funny in places. They just need time to grow.
Period. End of Sentence. (2018)
Director: Rayka Zehtabchi
Netflix
So this just won an Oscar for Best Short Documentary and it’s about menstruation so a lot of women are very happy.
Menstruation is still such a taboo across the world - period stigma is alive and kicking - but the level of that stigma and how it affects the lives of women and girls varies vastly as this documentary shows.
The Pad Project seeks to give Indian women the means to produce low cost sanitary napkins - giving them access to effective sanitary products and new skills and a source of income. This documentary follows one of the workshops being set up in a small village outside Delhi and the effect it has on the lives of the women involved.
It’s inspiring, uplifting stuff … but there has been some controversy about its depictions of rural indian women and questions about the ethics of the filmmakers’ methods, so it’s worth approaching it with a sceptical eye and doing some reading around.
But it’s great that a documentary about menstration is getting any publicity and so I was delighted to see it’s accessible on Netflix. It’s part research for me as I’m about to make my first documentary ... and about periods but our focus will be different.
Home Again (2017)
Written & Directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer
Netflix
Trading on your parent/s successful career to get started in the same field is basically what the world is built on - and sometimes you get accomplished, interesting work like Sophia Coppola or Ivan Reitman produce. And sometimes you get this ... female wish fulfilment - as my sister Shona so elegantly summed up this film.
The script makes no sense, sets up lots of narrative dead-ends, is full of redundant characters that serve no purpose and seems to lack any focus or real plot. Plus, the supposed “villain” is actually the only person who behaves even vaguely like a sensible, real-world adult. Why did Reese Witherspoon agree to this? Favour city.
This is the biggest stinker so far this year - and in a long while. If you are looking for saccharine romantic comedies - go watch some of Nancy Meyer’s films as she is a far superior filmmaker to her daughter.
And Breathe Normally (2018)
Written & Directed by Isold Uggadottir
Netflix
This Icelandic film is sublime - the script is so perfectly crafted and subtle, the acting is beautiful, the direction is gorgeous.
This is a story about solidarity - about two women in difficult circumstances who make a connection and both find a way to help the other. It is quiet, thoughtfully paced with minimal dialogue - so much is left to be inferred in the visuals and the looks between the characters. And windswept Iceland looks bleak but divine.
Films like this are exactly why I am doing this project - I would never had found the time or made the space for an Subtitled film about a single mother and an asylum seeker before - to much brain candy on offer elsewhere and I would have been worried about drudging through the horrors of the asylum system and the struggling of single parenting but I wanted a third film to round out the trio of Dirty John and Home Again and so picked this off my list.
And I’m so glad I did because while there is bleakness here ultimately Uggadottir has a belief in the decency of humanity and leaves us uplifted - exactly the kind of world-view I love.