Customer Reviews

Personal Velocity [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Based on Rebecca Miller's book by the same name, this movie holds up pretty well, and is even directed by the author. It is broken into three parts: Paula, Greta, and Delia. I noticed that in the book, there was one more woman, she was both an artist and an adultress. I'm assuming it was taken out because it seemed similar to Greta's story.

Delia, was played by Kyra Sedgwick--a tough wife and mother who has to leave her husband because he beats her. She picks up her family, goes to live with a childhood acquaintance, and tries to lead a normal life.

Greta, who was played by the amazing Parker Posey, is an editor who gets a chance to work on a book by an up and coming author. It seems that she has a problem with fidelity. She has a sweet husband that she doesn't deserve and daddy issues. I think that this was, by far, the best story, and probably the most complete.

Last is Paula, played by Fairuza Balk. She comes close to losing her life, so she takes a chance and picks up a hitchhiker while on the way to visit her mother, who she hasn't seen in two years.

I really liked this movie, but I think that the acting and the filming [pulled] me in more than the stories themselves. It was sort of like reading a book: there was a male narrator throughout, and there were still photos all through the movie. The still photos reminded me a little bit of "Run, Lola, Run," but they were in slow motion. I found that method of filming very different and interesting. That and the narrator gave you different insights into the film. I found the stories a little lacking sometimes only at the end, because, as I mentioned before, they felt a little unfinished. I know that not all movies or stories have to finish completely, and you don't always have to know "what happens" at the end. Certain movies, like this one, need a kind of finality in order for you to feel satisfied. I recommend it, and think it did deserve to win an award at Sundance.

This movie is the story of three woman, told in separate segments. Each of the characters has to some extent engaged in self-delusion as to who they really are as persons and each one finds herself in the midst of a major life crisis. As each character deals with their situation, they begin to find out who they really are as persons and to find a possible path to self liberation, happiness and fulfillment in their lives.
Delia(Kyra Sedgwick), is an abused wife and mother, who finds personal liberation by finding the courage to finally leave her abusive husband, and then rediscovers her personal dignity and power through her sexuality.
Greta(Parker Posey), is a wife and daughter, who has lost touch with herself, first by being caught in the middle in a struggle between her powerful, ambitious father and her weaker, more fragile mother for her love and affection, then later in an act of rebellion against her father, by ending up in a loving but passionless marriage in which she has suppressed all her own personal ambitions. An opportunity for success rekindles in her all her own passions and ambition, as she struggles to finally break free from the influence of her parents, to come to terms with her husband and marriage and to be who she really is as a person.
Paula(Fairuza Balk) is a young woman, who finds herself pregnant and who after a terrible accident, in a state of shock starts out on a journey to try and escape and make sense of what is happening to her. An encounter with an abused runaway, helps her refocus on her own plight and discover her own ability to care about others besides her self.
All the acting in the film is excellent, but Parker Posey as Greta really stands out. This is the first film that makes use of Parker's ability as an actress to convey emotion and internal conflict, without dialog, simply by the expression on her beautiful face, and it is absolutely stunning to watch. She turns Greta, who could have been very unsympathetic, into a character that one can care about.
The film looks and sounds beautiful on DVD. The DVD extras include a nice commentary by Rebecca Miller, and a wonderful conversation with Parker, Fairuza, Kyra and Rebecca about the characters and the making of the movie.
This beautifully written, beautifully acted movie is very intelligent and very complex. One that makes the viewer think deeply. Which in an age of almost total shallowness in the majority of films (all flash, no thought!), a movie that stimulates thought is a true breath of fresh air.
There are no tight, neatly wrapped up endings in this movie, you have no way of knowing if the characters have made the right choices in their lives. This makes it tough for audiences and critics to embrace this movie, but if you do look deeply at it, and think about it, you will come to appreciate and love it.

They made one of the vignettes right down the road from me and I never knew it! The story with Kyra was made in Rosendale, NY, about ten minutes from me. Who knew? That's the little gifts you get when you're anal about reading the end credits. Celebration done. Review time. One very erotic moment with Parker Posey having some "me" time and several quasi erotic moments with Kyra Sedgewick having some "us" times. Fairuza was great in her perma-goth role and had a really touching event to deal with. I'm a fan of all three women so this was a big win for me. The drama was rich across the board. I felt Kyra's despair, Posie's anxious discontent, and Fairuza being Fairuza. Three women up against it and coming out on top, more or less. If you're a fan of drama and the struggle of life, then don't hesitate to add this one to your collection.

Personal Velocity, written and directed by Rebecca Miller (and based on her book) tells three stories of women at crossroads in their lives. A film that is divided into separate stories must overcome certain challenges. Short stories, if they are good, can still leave the reader a little unsatisfied. This may be even more true of short films, as even a two hour movie tends to have less depth than a book. It is also common for stories to be of unequal quality. Personal Velocity, however, succeeds in creating three engaging half hours with some powerful performances. I found all three equally entertaining. The first character we meet is Delia (Kyra Sedgwick), a woman fleeing from an abusive husband with her three young children. While this is a familiar, movie-of-the-week situation, Sedgwick is completely believable as the hurt, angry and uncertain Delia as she attempts to make a new start. Parker Posey, a distinguished veteran of many independent films is the star of the second tale. She is Greta, an editor who unexpectedly finds success working with a famous novelist (who makes a pass at her). Greta is married to a man who is nice, intelligent but lacking in ambition and she finds herself wondering if he will fit in with her new future. There is a great contrast between the first two episodes. The first is set in the rural working class of upstate New York, the second among Manhattan's literary chic. The third tale changes pace once again. Paula (Fairuza Balk) is a woman who has just been traumatized by a tragic accident. Driving aimlessly, she picks up a young hitchhiker who turns out to be another victim of a violent event. Paula drives with the boy to her mother's house, which does not turn out to be much of a refuge. Both the first and last segment deal with rather depressing circumstances, but both leave us with the sense that the women have left the worst behind them and are ready to begin a new and better life; the same is true of the second story, though its overall tone is more upbeat. Personal Velocity is about just that; characters who overcome the unpredictable challenges of their surroundings by the force of their own wills. The film was shot digitally, which works well with its focused, microcosmic perspective.

This is one of those slice-of-life type of indie movies...while I like very much the actresses portraying the main character in each story, I didn't care for/about the characters AT ALL. I don't expect to "like" every character in a film - GOODFELLAS, CLOCKWORK ORANGE, HUD, THE WILD BUNCH, USUAL SUSPECTS all feature characters that are VERY BAD PEOPLE but they're excellent movies - I at least have to find characters "interesting," to "care" about 'em a bit for one reason 'r' another. The central character in each story herein is pretty much a self-absorbed or foolish person "stuck" in a situation primarily of her own making, w/ the exception of Ms. Balk's. Kyra S's character is nasty to people that try to help her and her possibly statutory sex act with a dopey teenage boy is supposed to be seen as EMPOWERING?!? Balk's character's car gets STOLEN by a kid she's trying to help (yeah, REALLY smart, her leaving the keys in the car w/ someone she barely knows!) and instead of feeling (naturally) upset/angry/nonplussed (as most people would), just THEN she has an "epiphany" about her unborn child?!? GIMME A #@&*in' BREAK!!!

In Personal Velocity, we encounter three women: Delia, Greta, and Paula. Delia is a middle-of-the-pack woman who's recently left her abusive husband, relocated far from his violent subjugation, and found work as a waitress at a restaurant owned by a man who's seedy son eyes her over like another meal. Greta is a metropolitan wife who, despite living the life any woman would fancy, is finding herself discontented and on the verge of leaving her loving husband. Paula, who is featured in the third story, picks up a young male hitchhiker on a rainy day with good intentions but finds that the chance encounter was much more than a random occurrence, and that the divine might be behind the entire event.

This film is highly entertaining, and what's more, it gives us just enough to be satisfied without overrunning its plot into the ground. Right about the time we're ready to be done with one of the stories, a new tale flashes upon the screen and we're once again engaged in a new little ditty.

Final verdict: a very entertaining film about the lives of three women that while I cannot recommend to everyone, I do recommend to the independent film crowd out there who prefers character-driven stories with solid acting and strong plotlines.

*****
This is a rave review for an unusual movie. One of the previous reviewers said that the more she thought about the movie, the more she liked it. I feel the same way.

This is the story of three women at pivotal points of their lives. The three women are not linked except that the movie takes place at the same point in time for all of them. One woman is escaping a domestic violence situation from a man she loves. Another woman is very ambitious and sexual, trying to reconcile who she is with who she thinks she is supposed to be. The third woman is dealing with trauma and what she has made of her life. All three situations are thought-provoking and beautifully portrayed by the accomplished actresses in their roles.

I rented this movie, watched some of the Special Features, and then ordered it on Amazon. I truly loved this movie. I'm not sure how men might view this film; although some are reviewers, I have difficulty understanding how men might appreciate and empathize with the depth of this movie, which is exclusively from a female perspective. I think that most women will enjoy not only the depth of exploration of women's life situations, feelings, and complexity. I don't think that this film is appropriate in any way for children; I think children will find it dull and not understand its themes. In addition, there are adult situations (including abuse, masturbation, and violence) that make it inappropriate for children; none of these are gratuitous, however, and all contribute to make this movie as powerful as it is.

This is a haunting and beautiful movie for thinking and feeling women, and for those men that can appreciate powerful filmmaking even when it involves female themes.

Personal Velocity is the story of three different women who collide with a life crisis at different times in their lives. Delia (Kyra Sedgwick) has frequently been abused by the man she loves, a love that has tied her down and made her incapable of escaping, but now she realizes that it is time for a change. Greta (Parker Posey) is mourning the death of her mother as she has settled down due to her parents divorce that is the origin for her hate for infidelity. On the exterior she displays a person who is content with what life has to offer her; however, when a big time author asks her to be his editor, she has a chance to get back to where she once was, on the top of the world. The question is whether she can take steps to remove the ties that hold her down. Paula (Fairuza Balk) has recently witnessed a traumatic death and found out that she is pregnant with a child. Confused, she begins to drive home to see her mother as she is desperate for some guidance or a sign. On the way she sees a hitch hiker, a teenager, that she interprets as a sign so she picks him up. The three women are reaching their life decisions at different velocities in their lives. Their personal velocities are clearly represented as one has children, one does not even think of having any, and the third has one on the way. This makes the story unique in regards to women and their choices, which often are influenced by external factors. In the end, Miller provides an intelligent and excellent cinematic experience.

Rebecca Miller's Personal Velocity is comprised of three short films: Delia, Greta, and Paula. The characters span location, socio-economic background, and age but are psychologically threaded by the common experience of a crisis pertinent to each's feminine identity. The movie's interest in women may garner the misperception of it as a feminist polemic, but Miller's vision is more humanitarian than political. It's one of those movies that, even when unsuccessful, seems genuinely curious about human beings.

In exploring battered wife, Delia (Kyra Sedgewick) Miller uses flashbacks to show her deep-seated confusion with sex and power as a promiscuous teenager. Greta reiterrates such themes, but as opposed to Delia's battered wife syndrome, these now impenetrable psychological depths actually produce societally acceptable behavior. The more Greta (the deft Parker Posey) succumbs to her innate moral inscrutability, the greater success she earns in her profession as a book editor. The final short, Paula is much less clear in its themes, and you can see Miller exploring truly dangerous territory, feeling around for a lightswitch in the dark. It follows a young quasi-homeless goth woman (Fairuza Balk) whose quest for love and motherhood become manifested in unconditional love and care for a terribly abused hitchhiking boy. Though this short seems spiritually disconnected from the first two, I like its dark, emblematic emotions (ripe with abortion metaphors and images of child torture) and Balk's performance is appropriately painful.

Miller's larger point, I think, is to show a battle between these women's present goals and their histories which, whether or not they like it, dictate their decisions. I applaud Miller for exploring such quandaries and being able to convey them in artful, engrossing entertainment.

'Personal Velocity: Three Portraits' is a touching and beautiful film that manages to remain unsentimental. The three heroines are complex and believable, as are all characters in the film, though most others are given only a surface glance. The acting is so well done, though, that even minor characters almost betray their backrounds with no words.

Kyra Sedgwick plays Delia, a hard woman with a beautiful rear and a realistic attitude. Delia's story is a strong opening tale. Each story gives a brief boigraphy of its protagonist, and Delia's backstory is lightheartedly told. However, her past, and certainly her present, are heavy, and viewers see that her independence as a girl saves her in her adulthood. Sedgwick is viscerally real.

Parker Posey is Greta. Greta's episode works well as a middle installment. It is not as dramatic as Delia's, but it is, in some ways, more depressing. Greta is a cookbook editor whose main antagonist is herself. She is intelligent, financially comfortable, and ambitious. Greta realizes that the lattermost quality, along with her tendency to stray from her devout spouse, must be met and dealt with. Posey is an understated and sympathetic Greta.

The final episode features Fairuza Balk as a young, troubled woman with a compassionate heart. This is in some ways the strongest story, but I think that it is simply a solid conclusion. Paula (Balk) finds herself wandering in her car after witnessing a devastating car accident, the only aspect that connects the three portraits. Paula's story is at the same time the most grim and the most upbeat. She ends up being the kindest of the three characters, perhaps only because of her experiences.

Families are prominently featured in this movie. As stated above, every part is well acted, from Delia's high school friend to the detached hitchhiker that Paula picks up. An artistic device used beginning in the opening shots involves freezing the frame like a snapshot. In this film, it is affective, and is not a gimmick.

The three portraits are subtly connected, and there is no blatant summation. I found many of the choices made, including using a male voiced narration instead of a female voice-over, interesting and appropriate. This movie is recommended, but do not expect a certain kind of movie: let it surprise you.