Denise Calls Up

Just caught this movie on the Starz cable channel. Excellent, original movie. Great understated performances. Definitely ahead of its time. This movie was made in 1995, just as the Internet, email and wireless technology was coming to the fore. Five years on, this movie is even more relevant. I wonder how many people find themselves in the kind of relationships depicted. This movie is very European in outlook and sensibility. See it.

A group of New Yorkers just have contact through telephone, fax and Internet. The conversation among them are only through telephone. The foods are ordered by telephone. Even sex is made by telephone. They are not able to go to the funeral of a common friend, or to join in a restaurant, or even to open the door for the others in a party. A creative critic to the individualism and solitude of the contemporary human beings. The difficulties of having a relationship and interact with another persons is presented in this acid comedy. A great work of edition, in a movie not indicated for all tastes. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): `Denise Está Chamando' (`Denise Is Calling')

Frank (Tim Daly) and his girlfriend, Gail, broke up five years ago but still stay in touch on the phone. It is Gail's idea to fix up her friend, Barbara with Frank's friend (Liev Schreiber). Yet, when Gail gives Barbara the man's telephone number, they get disconnected quite a few times. Once they start talking, however, their conversations definitely "heat up". Meanwhile, another friend gives a party for everyone but no one shows up. That's because everyone in this small circle of friends is agoraphobic! They work at their apartments, mostly, and they stay in touch via Ma Bell everyday. Another friend, Martin, gets a mysterious call one day from a lady named Denny. It seems she's pregnant with Martin's child, from a "donation" he gave to the local sperm bank. She calls quite often to give Martin an update. Meanwhile, one of the friends suffers a life-changing event because of a mobile phone. Will anyone of these folks ever see each other in real life? This is a highly unusual but very entertaining film. It is told almost exclusively in telephone conversations between the parties. If this sounds boring, I assure you, it is not! All of the actors are terrific and give their characters a nice depth, despite the film's premise. The usual amenities, the costumes, the sets, and the production values, are fine, also. But, most of all, the script is a winner, with great lines and originality. If you are a film fan who never plays it safe, you will thoroughly enjoy this movie. So, even if you are an agoraphobic yourself, don't miss out on this one! Send someone to the video store, if you have to, to get this film into your hands. You will be darn glad you did.

Sure, everyone has this sort of relationship, more phone call than interaction, but ain't it a shame... These are some of the most alienated, dysfunctional people I have ever seen. They're so detached they can't get up and answer the doorbell for a party they're hosting. Or even go to a friend's funeral. This is fabulous ensemble acting, a fact made the more rionic because none of these people actually encounter each other physically. (Of course, writing this commentary on a computer and transmitting it via modem is even more ironic.

This movie is very good all around acting, writing, directing. . Everybody knows someone who you are keeping the relationship up only by talking on the phone. I think this movie came out when only a small group of hardcore computer freaks sent message over the phone lines; before everybody in the world could send e-mail anytime, anywhere of the day. This is up there with 2001: A Space Odyssey and Citizen Kane as of being before its time REALLY!! Rent it a see if watching this movie isn't like looking into a mirror.