Chutney Popcorn Overcomes; Is a Good Movie
The review:
Nisha Ganatra directs a film chock full of terrible acting,* and yet still manages to create a very enjoyable movie-watching experience. The plot has an interesting conundrum (offering to be a surrogate for your married, infertile sister) and the movie itself is a delightful time capsule of late-90s New York City lesbian culture. This is a great example of how serious flaws sometimes aren’t enough to bring down the movie.**
The verdict: Good
(with some caveats)
Cost: free via Hoopla, the library’s steaming service that isn’t Kanopy
Where watched: at home
Consider also watching:
- Late Night
- The Namesake
- The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love
- Private Life
Further sentences:
*Apparently, there’s a good reason that the main character’s acting isn’t great. See the trivia section. Jill Hennessy is in this and isn’t bad, but she isn’t great, either.
**Ganatra also directed one of my favorite films of this year: Late Night
Questions:
- What’s a movie that isn’t great (for whatever reason) but you still love it.
- Iconic lesbian films. Go!
- Have you seen Late Night yet? Why or why not?
Favorite IMDB trivia item:
Director and co-writer Nisha Ganatra stepped into the lead role of Reena after the actress originally cast in the role quit the production shortly before filming began.
