By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Clio Barnard
Country: united_kingdom
Year: 2011
Running time: 94
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1623008/reference
Chris says: “Outside of England and perhaps a few modern drama departments, playwright Andrea Dunbar remains obscure, a status this unusual documentary hopes to obliterate. Raised on a notoriously tough council estate, she wrote a play (which gives this film its title) in 1980 at the age of 18 that made her a sensation. Since it (and Dunbar’s subsequent work) was explicitly autobiographical, it seems natural that most of this doc was filmed where she grew up (and later died of a cerebral hemorrhage at age 29). The director interviewed Dunbar’s three children (each from a different father), relatives and neighbors, but here we only hear their voices—instead of the actual persons appearing in the film, actors lip-synch their words. Far from gimmicky, the lip-synching scans unobtrusively due to superb direction and acting (especially by Manjinder Virk, who portrays Dunbar’s eldest, troubled, mixed race daughter Lorraine). Additionally, interspersed among the interviews are scenes from Dunbar’s plays performed as living theatre on estate’s sidewalks and common areas.
“While a traditional approach could have probably displayed Dunbar’s life more than adequately, this unique method results in multiple layers that leave the viewer with much to chew on. More than just the study of an artist, with genuine catharsis THE ARBOR considers the obvious but philosophically profound parallels between a person’s art and her life to a nearly unprecedented degree. 5 cats”
Toni says: “I was finally able to see the full length of THE ARBOR after we interviewed the cinematographer last year. It is
one of my top picks as Buried Treasure.
“It is not a big budget film; however, builds a tour de force of emotions with its integration of a play acted by actor playing members of Andrea Dunbar’s life based on the past events her as a forgotten blue collar downtrodden playwright and the effects of her downfall and this contents the play she wrote, The Arbor.
“The play, The Arbor, and followup plays, she wrote before she died are almost an autobiography and her other plays on her children (from 3 different fathers) who are interwoven with leading to tragic events of the present day. The actors are so real and are introduced as the people being documented bridge the gap between documentary and docudrama…It gets sad and ugly and in a way the real story ‘plays out’ as the 3rd real yet unwritten tragic play.
“It is like the play(s) acted throughout the reenactments fill in all the gaps between prior coverage of events that took place…It is a brilliant yet a disturbingly emotional powerhouse. 5 Big Cats”
Diane says: “I usually get antsy when I watch a DVD at home–checking the time, getting up for a snack–but I was riveted by THE ARBOR. It’s not the story that makes ARBOR so compelling, although it’s a ‘good’ one–but we’ve seen this kind of tale before in both docs and features. There are three factors that make this film superior: the editing and ordering of the scenes, the effect of actors lip-synching recorded interviews, and camera work that gives a hyperrealistic look. It reminded me of SUPERSTAR (Todd Haynes) in that the detachment of the production only heightens the film’s emotional impact. 5 cats.
“This is a Buried Treasure, and was on many Chlotrudian’s Top Tens.”