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Storytelling
2001
Director Todd Solondz (WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, HAPPINESS) presents this characteristically bleak and darkly comic drama in two distinct parts. The first story, "Fiction" stars Selma Blair as Vi, a confused university student who engages in an impulsive tryst with her Pulitzer Prize-winning professor (Robert Wisdom) after .. Read more
| Starring | Selma Blair, Leo Fitzpatrick, Robert Wisdom, Maria Thayer |
|---|---|
| Director | Todd Solondz |
| Genres | Comedy |
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Storytelling
Director Todd Solondz (WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, HAPPINESS) presents this characteristically bleak and darkly comic drama in two distinct parts. The first story, "Fiction" stars Selma Blair as Vi, a confused university student who engages in an impulsive tryst with her Pulitzer Prize-winning professor (Robert Wisdom) after arguing with her cerebral palsy-afflicted boyfriend (Leo Fitzpatrick). The second (and longer) tale, "Non-Fiction," stars Paul Giamatti as Toby, a down-on-his-luck documentary filmmaker who turns his camera on Scooby (Mark Webber), an unmotivated teenager, and his suburban New Jersey family.
At times even more controversial and confrontational than Solondz's previous films, STORYTELLING bluntly addresses issues such as race, sex, physical impairment, education, censorship, and exploitation, while not-so-subtly referencing and parodying both AMERICAN BEAUTY and AMERICAN MOVIE (whose own Mike Schank appears in the film). Cannily aware of both his admirers and detractors, Solondz has taken the intriguing step of criticizing his own work within the creative confines of the two stories. As with HAPPINESS, the director has assembled an impressive ensemble cast that also includes John Goodman, Julie Hagerty, Franka Potente, and Lupe Ontiveros. As a counterpoint to the often-glum proceedings, a bright, airy soundtrack is provided Scottish popsters Belle & Sebastian and songwriter Nathan Larson.
| Starring | Selma Blair, Leo Fitzpatrick, Robert Wisdom, Maria Thayer, Angela Goethals, Deborah Rose, Conan O'Brien |
|---|---|
| Director | Todd Solondz |
| Studio | ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 27 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 24 Jun 2002 Production year: 2001 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Todd Solondz's follow-up to the magnificent dysfunctional tapestry of Happiness is short but far from sweet. Like its predecessor, the film candidly explores taboo areas — a brutally graphic sex scene between a black lecturer and a white student is the film's chief talking point — although Solondz's focus seems less on a coherent story than on satirising the art of storytelling itself. He employs a two-part structure — “Fiction” and “Non-fiction” — to mock both the art of the written word (involving student Selma Blair's creative writing course) and documentary-making (Paul Giamatti examines disaffected teenage life), as well as the dark side of “ordinary” suburban folk. But, in spite of a great cast of both familiar and unfamiliar faces, the thinly developed characters fail to rouse much interest or empathy, and some witty notions about fiction versus reality are lost among the director's apparent desire to be disturbing, offensive and cruel.
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Two typically dystopian tales (rumour has it a third was dropped): the shorter 'Fiction' concerns college kids in a... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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6 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Original and bizarre
As with Happiness, this is a strange and disturbing film. Dialogue is sparse and inane;there are whole scenes of dysfunctional social interactions where nothing is said. The film is split into 2 parts, each of which is like a short story. The first part, Fiction, has no real beginning, middle or end. It revolves around a single event with no explanations or insight into the characters. The second part ranges from the inconsequential to the positively dysfunctional with a chilling twist to the tale.
A film with no questions and no answers, it is unclear whether this is a cleverly crafted piece of social satire or the ramblings of a bored director whose rent was due. -
Most recent members' review
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5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Solondz's story is well worth telling.
Being Todd Solonz's psychiatrist must be a riot! This man is carrying some serious neuroses and, lucky for us, he's only too happy to pour them into his work. I think his earlier film, "Happiness", was possibly the best film of 1998 and certainly one of the strongest films of the 90's. "Storytelling" has similar lashings of black humour and inspirational dialogue that makes you want to rush out and write your own screenplay. His characters seem to say exactly what's on their mind and the director seems to add a second or two's pause after the most toe-curling dialogue which is often excrutiating. No taboo is sacred. Where "Happiness" was happy to depict a father abusing his young son's friend on a sleepover and then confessing it to his son in an unforgettable scene, Storytelling shows a black teacher having sex with a student, which may or may not have been rape. The aforementioned happens in the shorter "fictional" first segment of the film, but it's the longer "non-fiction" second part which holds most of the aces. It's basically about a shoe shop clerk making a documentary film about American school life post Columbine. Unmissable.
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News and features
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Mary Lynn Rajskub interview
- system
- 01 Jan 2000
As Chloe in 24, Mary Lynn Rajskub has survived huge numbers of cast members that have either turned traitor or died at the hands of insurgents. Able to summon absolutely anything to her super-splendid computer workstation, she has become Jack Bauer's (Kiefer Sutherland) right-hand woman. Rajskub (pronounced rice cub) began her professional life as part of comedy duo, Girls' Guitar Club (featured in The Anniversary Party), before turning to acting. Regular roles in The Larry Sanders Show and... Read more
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Director Todd Solondz (WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, HAPPINESS) presents this characteristically bleak and darkly comic drama in two distinct parts. The first story, "Fiction" stars Selma Blair as Vi, a ... -