By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Lynn Shelton
Starring: Alison Janney | Ellen Page | Josh Pais | Rosemarie DeWitt | Scott McNairy | Shannon Kipp
Country: united_states
Year: 2013
Running time: 89
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2364949/combined
Michael says: “Lynn Shelton’s latest film, TOUCHY FEELY, didn’t get very good reviews on rottentomatoes.com, but I actually quite liked it. Rosemarie DeWitt plays Abby, a massage therapist one day finds she has developed an aversion so skin and to touching another person. At the same time, her brother Paul, is a dentist in a failing practice who is suddenly in great demand due to his ‘healing touch.’ As Abby’s life starts to collapse, Paul’s starts to flower. Caught between them is Jenny, Paul’s daughte=r, played by Ellen Page. Jenny works as Paul’s dental hygienist, and is torn between staying home and taking care of her father, and going to school. Added to the mix is Jesse, Abby’s boyfriend, who is caught like a deer in the headlights when Abby’s life starts to fall apart. Allison Janney adds some lively color as the reiki master/friend of Abby’s. It’s a strangely gentle ensemble, and intimate despite its awkwardness. There are moments of sudden humor that can quickly transform to heart-wrenching sadness.
“Lynn Shelton wrote, directed and edited TOUCHY FEELY, and works in a semi-improvised manner, lending an authentic feel to the behavior. I was quite taken by her last film, YOUR SISTER’S SITER, and this film doesn’t disappoint. There’s something
about Rosemarie DeWitt that I really love on screen, and Ellen Page is lovely in this awkward role. Definitely worth a look. 4 cats”
Chris says: “A massage therapist (Rosemarie DeWitt) develops a sudden aversion to touching human skin—that’s the intended hook here, but the parallel story, where her dentist brother (Josh Pais, wonderfully awkward and uptight) simultaneously and mysteriously gains the power to alleviate pain for his patients is far more immediate and makes for better cinema. Director Lynn Shelton cultivates a strong cast that also includes Ellen Page as Pais’ loyal but quietly frustrated daughter and Allison Janney as a Reiki therapist whom encourages Pais to come out of his shell. Still, this is a little disappointing after Shelton’s superior YOUR SISTER’S SISTER—it carries a lot of interesting ideas and has a few nice isolated scenes, but a lack of focus prevents it from
being anything more. 3 cats”