Storytelling

Synopsis: Comprised of two thematically related stories, "Fiction" and "Non-Fiction", "Fiction" charts the inadequate musings of creative writing student Vi (Selma Blair) and the racially-tense relationship she constructs with her tutor (Robert Wisdom). "Non-Fiction" observes documentary maker Tobv Oxman (Paul Giamatti) as he captures teenage stoner Scooby (Mark Webber II) and his well-to-do suburban family on celluloid.

Todd Solondz has long walked that fine line between astute social commentary and crass shock tactics to highlight the innate inadequacies of American suburban life. While his 1998 effort Happiness took this to new heights (not many films these days have a barely pubescent son confronting his recently outed pedophilic father), the less subversive shocks in Storytelling can be perceived in two ways; Solondz has either reverted to cliché or is now using a more mature methodology to approach his themes. Whichever way you go, it's a tough call.

The structure of initial outing "Fiction" is fairly simple. Vi is dumped by her cerebral palsy-suffering boyfriend Marcus (Leo Fitzpatrick) who she thought would "be different". Later that evening, in the film's most overtly constructed sequence, she finds herself being "seduced" by her African-American tutor in his hovel-like apartment.

As a precursor to "Non-Fiction", the deceptive complexity of "Fiction" reveals the machinations behind storytelling and the role perception plays in undermining the foundations of truth. Vi's sexual encounter is greeted with scorn by her writing class, who label it both clichéd and unrealistic in its racial misanthropy, regardless of the fact that "it happened".

While "Fiction" gives the viewer much to think about, "Non-Fiction" runs out of gas halfway through, leaving Solondz to revert, once again, to shock tactics for narrative progression. Idiot documentary maker Toby wants his 15 minutes in the sun, yet uses his form to mock young stoner Scooby, who's sole aspiration is to have his own 15 minutes on the small screen. Toby's editor (the chain smoking Franka Potente) remarks that he better start respecting his subjects, because he's dealing with real people here. It's a knowing wink to the viewer of what Solondz has done throughout his directorial career - does he respect or demean his mostly white upper-class suburbanite subjects? When a spoof of American Beauty (1999), "American Scooby", is added to the mix, it all gets a little bit too clever.

Storytelling follows in the footsteps of Solondz's previous indie-shock films Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) and Happiness.  In comparison to previous efforts, the slightness of Solondz's Storytelling is apparent. The watered down content is easier to digest (although this isn't necessarily a bad thing). That said, if you haven't liked his previous films, I'd stay away from this one as well. It's typical Solondz, maybe he's just mellowing a bit with age.

 

 

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