Hal Hartley's quietly been producing some of the best American independent films in the nineties, rarely gaining much acclaim, which is a shame because his films are sharp, witty, poignant, and very distinctive. No other filmaker, bar perhaps Lynch and the Coens, uses such distinctive dialogue and wit, with a very obvious intelligence behind the camera as well. Alex Finch gushes about his movies, whilst Chris Denton and Paul Monk will (one day) soon add a more of an even tone to the feature...
BRIEF PLOT DESCIPTION: An ex-convict, sent to prison for murder returns to his home town.
AF: Hartley's first is perhaps his most difficult, but still very entertaining. Be prepared for lots of long silences and characters staring at each other, mixed in with a slightly black sense of humour and a story of truth (a favourite Hartley theme) and types of redemption. The dialogue, as always, is beautifully sharp. Robert Burke puts in a fine performance, as does Adrianne Shelley, two actors now sadly resigned to the where are they now folder....
TRUST
BRIEF PLOT DESCRIPTION: A sort of Romantic comedy featuring a pregnant girl and the meanest man in town who slowly fall in love.
AF: I've just noticed how bad Hartley's films sound in the 'biref plot description' bit. This is more of a tale of a depressed, suicidal, but still highly witty, man (Hartley regular, Martin Donovan, excellent as usual) who manages to see some worth in the world, and a teenage girl who matures because of their relationship. Features a fantastic moment where the girl's father drops dead after hearing that she's pregnant, that can't fail to make you smile. Inventive, intelligent filmmaking. Oh, and the music, as in all Hartley's films, is superb.
SIMPLE MEN
BRIEF PLOT DESCRIPTION: Two brothers search for their long lost father.
AF: Lighter, and breezier than Trust, this is an enjoyable movie which finds Hartley becoming more comfortable behind the camera and the benefit of a slightly larger budget. Robert Burke (again) and Bill Sage suit Hartley's dialogue perfectly as the two very different Brothers who slowly bond. I haven't really made enough comments about the humour in Hartley's films. In short, his use of dialogue, and editing, mixed in with occasional dashes of sex and/or violence, often is very funny, despite the sometimes difficult subject matters. Which all in all, make his films all the more worth watching.
AMATUER
BRIEF PLOT DESCRIPTION: An amnesiac causes chaos in the lives he touches.
AF: Another confidant, witty, distinctive comedy. A higher budget, plus a cast not wholly consisting of Hartley regulars, means it all looks a lot better. Some of the reviews didn't like the fact that Hartley's films were beginning to look a little similar (relationships/droll wit/ sharp dialogue / Intelligence) but, if anything, Amateur was his best to date. The soundtrack is excellent too, and worth buying as it features a mix of American indie (including Pavement's Here), and Jeffrey Taylor and Ned Rifle's haunting score.
FLIRT
BRIEF PLOT DESCRIPTION: A tale of love and loss - in which a main character's indecisiveness leads them to flirt with disaster - told in three different cities. The twist is that it uses the same script (though not neccesarily spoken in the same order) each time.
AF: A bit of experimental filmaking. And it kind of works. The first version, set in New York, is the most recognisably 'Hartley' and very enjoyable. The second vs., set in Berlin, is duller though, and doesn't quite wrok. However when Hartley relocates the tale to Tokyo the tale takes on a startling, and beautiful, new direction. Interesting, I think, sums it all up.
HENRY FOOL
BRIEF PLOT DESCRIPTION: Two men, Simon and Henry Fool, strike up a friendship as Henry encourages Simon to write. Simon encounters censorship and fame on his literary trip.
AF: This starts of like any Hartley film, with witty, slightly pretentious at times, men discussing art, life and literature. Well, if you've seen his work, you'll know what I mean. But as their relationship develops, Henry's actions and past create difficulties for both characters, and the film often diverts in to much darker territory and steadfastly refuses to deliver simple answers. The question of Henry's sexual actions are handled provactively, but thoughtfully, and the closure, whilst not completely satisfying, offers hope for all the characters. Who survive, that is.
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