Marlene Dodes-Callahan

Quirky and compelling, pits classes against one another , challenges gender roles and briefly race emerges. It comments on the agreed upon idea that the wealthy rule and the workers obey. That idea is suddenly no longer valid when it comes to survival. A luxury yacht with vapid wealthy consumers who have made their fortunes from greed , supplying warheads, online influencing and various other fields that require no real skills. On the yacht the the set up of the staff and crew is to say “yes to any request” so you will get big tips. One of the guests forces the hand of the staff to allow them time to go swimming even though doing that may spoil the Captain’s dinner. As a result, all hell breaks loose on the ship including a coup. Without further spoiling the unraveling, we are confronted with what people will do,to survive a seemingly untenable situation. The film unfolds in unexpected ways and a makes us consider our own culpability in the system. I’m really loved the quirkiness of the film, how it begins with models and the people who hire and give them their directions as if they have no inner life themselves but are blank canvases there to take orders and direction without any thought, just immediate response, bypass any ego. Fascinating and provocative film .

Incredibly powerful reminds us of the world before abortion was legal and the trauma , degradation, shame and emotional upheaval for young women who found themselves quite surprisingly to be pregnant. It addresses the fear of young women whose plans for a life other than becoming a housewife, was a possibility. The film moves slowly and the camera is almost always behind the main character which gives us the sense of her panic. Perfect timing for this film.

Some sweet moments but the pace is excruciatingly slow; not sure why Daniel’s nasty demeanour to his mom changes suddenly to tie things up at the end, might have been more gradual. Funny and painful scene in the fudge factory.

The bones of this film are very close to Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women wrapped in the present real life compliment of the actress’s (Catherine Deneuve’s character) life with her estranged daughter, husband et al. Deneuve plays a diva who Is aging with few regrets about the lives she has trampled along the way to her success. I couldn’t help think throughout of Edward Albee and how the director gives no credit to Albee. Understandably art is derivative but this was more than derivative, almost clearly lifted from Albee.

As always Nicole Kidman is .mesmerizing, and fully embraces her character as a psychiatrist , wife and upper class. New York wife. Interesting casting with a more portly older but still sexy Hugh Grant. The contrast of the two worlds , Harlem and Upper west side is played well by the chosen locations. Gorgeous to watch New York, pre pandemic. Unnerving story.