Neptune’s Movie
There is a story in this documentary, one about a very appealing woman. She’s so open we immediately give our heart before we realise how sick she is. She’s a mess, usually homeless, always hallucinating, fanatically fixated on her many dogs. That story is here and you may think it is what this film is about. If it were, I think it would be better.
Instead this is a film about the filmmaker. Our first shot is of him as a boy. The first facts we learn is that as that boy he played in Central Park and discovered many mysteries there. Then, incidentally he tells us of one he has discovered. The entire film is narrated by him in a thin, shaky, unappealing tone and cadence. We see her, but we hear him, always him: how he discovered her, discovered her true name, and past, and how she has a husband and children, about how he tracked down her friends, followed her dogs and so on.
She is interesting. Her story (especially the acid parts) is compelling. He is not, and his presence depresses.
Posted in 2008
Ted’s Evaluation — 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.