The Sleepy Time Gal

Just saw this film at the Vancouver International Film Festival. I was barely able to stay awake through the long tedious thing.

The shame of it all is that this film could have been great. The plot of a woman wanting to search for the daughter she gave away while the daughter is searching for her could have been very interesting. Instead, this is an "almost but not quite" film.

The acting was good but that's not enough. Some of the audience walked out. Nobody applauded when it was over. I didn't hear anyone talking about the film as they were leaving.

Sad. The Sleepy Time Gal could have been great.

I can't help thinking that this film thought it was a much better film than it actually was. I just couldn't connect with it. It came off as pretentious. I also couldn't help but notice a heavy stylistic influence from Woody Allen of all people here (editing and music style, but done clumsily) which didn't fit at all. Also, what was with the Spanish guitar music? This whole film just seemed incoherent. The acting didn't work - little really worked right in this film. Maybe I missed the point because I was too asleep to follow it. I found it even difficult to enjoy the San Francisco scenery. This movie was just work to watch.

=by the way, what's so beautiful about Jacqueline Bisset? Anyone else notice that every time she said the word "idea" it came out as "IDEAR"? - very annoying.

This director is going nowhere.

Forget about Sissy Spacek and Halle Berry. If "The Sleepy Time Gal" had been released theatrically in 2001 (and the fact that no distributor picked it up is a tragic commentary on the state of today's film scene), the glorious Jacqueline Bisset would have been awarded the Best Actress Oscar at last week's dismal ceremony. Long-acclaimed for her dazzling beauty ("The Deep," "Class," etc.), but sadly overlooked for her impeccable acting abilities (was everyone dozing when she gave breathtaking performances of subtlety and nuance in "Under the Volcano," "Rich and Famous," "High Season," "Le Ceremonie," etc.), Ms. Bisset's portrayal of a woman trying to put her life in order when she is told she has terminal cancer is one of the finest performances ever committed to celluloid. Independently produced on a low-budget, "Sleepy Time Gal" is exactly the type of superior filmmaking so rare these days, and the fact that it was sold to the Sundance Channel (where it premiered on March 29, 2002) instead of being theatrically distributed to art-houses whose discerning patrons crave exactly this type of subtle, intelligent, exquisite jewel of a film) is a tragedy. Christopher Munch's direction/screenplay are sublime. In supporting roles, Amy Madigan, Seymour Cassell, Nick Stahl, and Martha Plimpton give performances of astonishing intelligence and warmth. As does Jacqueline Bisset, probably the finest and most underrated (as well as achingly beautiful) actress of all time. Ms. Bisset's performance, heartfelt, honest, totally devoid of histrionics, is truly to be cherished! As is "The Sleepy Time Gal."

The Sleepy Time Gal was an excellent concept that unfortunately ended up being unsatisfying. Death is a hard thing to film but this movie does nothing to enhance views we have seen about death. The adoption story was wonderful but never met a good end. I needed to see more resolution because I had to assume to much about what Rebecca found out in the end. I was disappointed that they never met and that Morgan never eluded to knowing about her, if he did. I wish it had been a better movie. For only being an hour and a half long, I felt that it was much longer. Nice try but the bar was never met.

This is another example of a film that will stay with you.

I am not going to go into a lengthy review here; why? A couple of other reviewers did so very well with their comments. Let me say simply that I found the film to be an interesting 'study' of relationships. I call it a study because is is a film that asks the viewer to listen carefully, and to think. I echo another reviewer in saying that the death scene is very realistic. (So many films make it so sparkling, they almost make death appealing). It was part of what made this film so good; I was amazed at how saddened and disturbed I became in watching Frances' last days.