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Kajillionaire

Country: united_states

Year: 2020

Running time: 104

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8143990/reference

Michael says: “Many find Miranda July’s work a little too precious, or twee. It’s definitely unique and has a certain style of its own, but I’m a big admirer of her work. Her first feature film, ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW is a favorite of mine, and her ambitious follow up, THE FUTURE, while not as successful, still proved to be an intriguing follow-up. With KAJILLIONAIRE, July steps out from in front of the screen, and focuses solely on the writing and directing to create an accomplished film that retain her whimsy and quirkiness, but includes a serious, dramatic thread about parental responsibility and bonding that truly resonates.

“Theresa and Robert, for whatever past reasons, have decided to live their lives by skimming off the surface of others, through minor cons that keep them off the grid, but able to sustain a certain life without doing too much damage. When they have a child, the inexplicably named Old Dolio, they continue to live their lives in this manner, which makes for a fairly challenging upbringing for a child. Everything is split three ways, the good and the bad. Seems reasonable, but to a child, who has so many wants and needs that they are relying their parents to fulfill? Life goes on however, until Theresa and Robert bring a newcomer into their lives. Melanie is a young woman they meet on a plane during one of their cons, and when reveal to her what their real plans are, she is excited by this unorthodox family’s lives, stepping in to help them. Old Dolio isn’t too sure about having Melanie involved, and she is perplexed by the way her parents treat her. When Theresa offhandedly calls Melanie ‘Hon,’ and is unable to do the same with her own daughter when challenged, the dynamic several changes.

“In addition to the great script, which is filled with July’s trademark whimsy, but follows a darker thread in a way that is both gentle, and disturbing, the film is greatly aided by the performances. Debra Winger and Richard Jenkins do a great job with Theresa and Robert… offbeat ex-hippies living on the fringe, conning their way through life that in the end, they don’t even know when they’re doing it. Gina Rodriguez brings some much needed grounding as Melanie. In some ways it’s as if she’s coming in from another movie, which is exactly the point. It’s Evan Rachel Woods that is the secret weapon here, though, taking on July’s oddities and making them natural for Old Dolio. She feels deeply, but doesn’t even recognize what those feelings are, having been raised, almost scientifically, without the usual love and affection deserved by caregivers. She’s a damaged would who has learned to cope, and when faced with honest emotions, she must totally re-learn what the appropriate responses are.

“Miranda July has created another quirky and powerful film, and it’s good to see her branch out and let others perform her work. Expect a few nominations for this one from me. 4 1/2 cats

 

Bob says: “I’ve seen Miranda July’s two previous films, and liked ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW very much at the time, but it’s slipped away from me. All I remember is that I liked it. I’d have to look it up to tell you anything about the story line.

“We’ll have to see if that happens with this one. While it’s fresh in my mind, it feels like a very strong film. We’re presented with a family of eccentric grifters, and it takes almost the entirety of the film before it becomes clear that the apparent silliness and quirkiness are actually very serious dysfunction.”

 

Chris says: “I knew I was in good hands from the moment where three of the film’s principal characters try to stop the spread of a squadron of bubbles spreading down and threatening to consume an entire wall of the abandoned office space they’re renting as living quarters, for such a spectacle could only come from the mind of writer/director/performance artist Miranda July.

“In a change from her previous features, July does not appear on camera, but she has assembled a great cast: Richard Jenkins and Deborah Winger play a couple who, along with their adult daughter (an unrecognizable Evan Rachel Wood), grift and scam their way through life. During one notably elaborate scam, they meet Melanie (a game Gina Rodriguez), who gleefully joins up with them only to gradually realize what consequences such a life carries, and in particular, those for Wood’s character.
“KAJILLIONAIRE (whose title comes from a throwaway comment by Jenkins) is fun, imaginative and at the end, resonant in ways one could’ve hardly predicted at the onset; compared to, say, ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW, it’s occasionally slight and not as fully realized. Still, give July credit for continuing to follow her own peculiar path and not succumb to working-for-hire or diluting her quirks for a mass audience. 4 cats
Brett responds: “Along with Chris’s review, I’m totally on board with all that’s written here in Michael’s review as well. What a gem this is. Evan Rachel Wood is, pardon the expression, ‘money’ in this from beginning to end. Director Miranda July defines visionary with a work like this. To make a concept this far-reaching leap off a page and make it coherent and endearing is still baffling to me. Sitting down with the director to take in all of the process that went into the creation of this film from beginning to end would be a master class in filmmaking, I feel.”
Philip says: “Keeping with the con artist theme this week, Miranda July’s third feature film, KAJILLIONAIRE follows the pathetic lives of a family of con artists. The parents are played by Debra Winger and Richard Jenkins. Their daughter is played by Evan Rachel Wood. I loved July’s first film, ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW. It was everything an indie film should be – quirky, rule breaking, and thought-provoking. Her follow up, THE FUTURE didn’t wow me. Unfortunately KAJILLIONAIRE didn’t fare much better. I actually didn’t make it through the film. My initial excitement about seeing her direct the three of them quickly unraveled into a lot of confusion. I didn’t understand the family’s back-story or motivation. I really didn’t understand why the fourth person got involved with them. I certainly don’t need a paint-by-numbers approach to filmmaking, but I do need there to a be sliver of logic to the plot. Convoluted kept coming to mind. Soon I sat up and realized I didn’t want to finish the film. 2 cats.
Review courtesy of Reel Charlie.”
Kajillionaire

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