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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Every life has a story. And every story has a life of its own., November 10, 2005
The film, which is written and directed by Rodrigo Garcia ("Things You Can Tell By Looking At Her"), is a compilation of sympathetic vignettes centering on the lives of nine dissimilar women. Each abbreviated episode (10 to 12 minutes) has been staged as a continuous Steadicam shot and focuses in on one particular woman. Each woman's episode in the film is self-sustaining, although the occasional character can overlap into another woman's storyline - sometimes overlapping at the corners and sometimes as a more fully developed presence.
Sandra (Edpidia Carrillo) is a hard luck prison inmate at a woman's correctional facility awaiting a visit from her daughter. A very pregnant Diana (Robin Wright Penn) has a bittersweet and poignant chance encounter with an ex-lover, Damian (Jason Isaacs), while late night grocery shopping. Holly (Lisa Gay Hamilton) spirals out of control upon returning to her childhood home after a long absence. Lorna (Amy Brenneman) finds both a chilly and an unforeseen reception while attending the funeral of her ex-husband's (William Fichtner) second wife. Sonia (Holly Hunter) and her boyfriend, Martin (Stephen Dillane), have a bitter and inappropriate argument while visiting another couple in their new apartment. Ruth (Sissy Spacek) contemplates having an adulterous affair with Henry (Aidan Quinn). My favorite storyline is that of a hospital patient, Camilla (Kathy Baker), and her husband, Richard (Joe Mantegna). Awaiting a preoperative visit from her surgeon, Camilla is anxious and angry, lashing out at everyone, but especially Richard. Poor Richard (who wants to be supportive and comfort his wife) cannot seem to say anything right. It is only after receiving a sedative injection that Camilla finally becomes calm, allowing Richard to safely approach her, and permitting the audience to see the tenderness which is at the core of their relationship.
It is quite apparent that director Rodrigo Garcia genuinely likes women and accepts them despite their flaws and imperfections. Each woman's storyline (with one exception) feels authentic, as if the audience had just intruded on a particular woman's life, leaving you to draw your own conclusions and fill in any back-story.
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23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A movie that lets you fill in the blanks as it explores pivotal moments in some women's lives, March 1, 2006
What this film IS: A thoughtful exploration of individual moments in the lives of many different women, all of them facing some crisis or difficulty. It is also the closest thing to a short story collection I've seen on film - if the short stories cut straight to the climax of each story (read on, you'll understand what I mean).
What this film is NOT: A suspense or escape thriller with all the answers handed to the viewer at the conclusion. This isn't a "feel good" flick, although there are parts which are touching and warm. It is intense and if you don't pay attention, you'll miss subtle but crucial moments.
I was stuck by the amazing complexity in the lives of each of these women (and their men as well) and by the rather audacious decison by the director to leave lots of questions unanswered, allowing the viewer to imagine what happens next to each character, to fill in the spaces...or just to keep wondering about the whys and wherefores.
You see each women at a major moment in her life but you don't really know the entire backstory, nor do you know what will happen next. A pregnant woman meets her old boyfriend in a grocery store and the moment sets off a shockwave of emotion. Another woman confronts her stepfather, gun in hand, but...why? Was there sexual abuse? Or something else that has left her so angry, unhinged and desperate? A young girl seems to be managing to keep peace in her home, to look after her disabled father and to keep her parents together - or is she? Sometimes one woman will show up in another woman's episode, so that there is some overlap and you get a chance to see another side of a person's character.
If you don't like loose ends, I'd suggest you stay away from this film. But I loved it, love the acknowledgment that sometimes there are crucial moments that may be AS important - or MORE important- than the moments that came before or since. Pivotal moments. And does it really matter what happens next? To see more might actually make the crucial moment less intense, less meaningful.
An extremely creative, daring, magical film!
IF YOU GET THE DVD: There are some very nice special features in the DVD, including interviews with the actresses who give THEIR interpretation of the characters they play. This led to some new insights as I listened to them speak about what they thought of their characters and what motivated them. There are other "behind the scenes" moments which show how certain parts of the film were set up and shot.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Nine sad and inconclusive stories. I found them all depressing., May 7, 2007
This 2005 film includes nine different vignettes. All of them are about turning points in women's lives. There's some star power here including Glenn Close, Dakola Fanning and Holly Hunter and the acting is excellent
Each story is short, to the point, and inconclusive. They also all have an aura of sadness and loss. Yes, the technical aspects of this film are good and the concept is interesting. But, frankly, I don't like short stories. Even in my reading experiences I usually go for a long, well developed work. Some of the characters in one story do appear in a minor role in another. But this just seems like a trick for device.
All the stories have emotional impact but frankly I found them depressing. Therefore, I can't recommend this to anyone but the most dedicated film buff.
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