Skip to main content

The Congress

By

2013
Directed By Ari Folman
Starring Robin Wright, Harvey Keitel and John Hamm

20 years after the release of The Princess Bride Robing Wright (played by Robin Wright) signs her final contract. She agrees to have her likeness scanned so the producers at Miramount can use her image in any way they see fit but Robin Wright the actress will no longer exist. Robin Right agrees to never act again. At 45 years old our protagonist is over the hill and all but dead in Hollywoood. In this alternate world she is a woman who has made bad career choices and is constantly reminded of her wasted potential. 

This film is clearly a satire that pokes fun at Hollywood on the surface level but it really speaks to the way we treat women in our society and what we value as individuals. This is a film that works and plays on many levels simultaneously. It’s both a cautionary tale of where technology is taking us and a commentary on celebrity. When we value image and status over expression and heart what are we left with.

We all saw Robin Wright in Forest Gump, a film that used footage of dead presidents and rock stars with overdubbed dialogue to make it appear as though they had interacted with a fictional character. It’s a cute experiment but when I think of it as the first step in a line of events that eventually replaced actors with scans, it’s creepy and off putting.

The Congress is told with broad strokes and that might lead people to the conclusion that it’s only an exploration of ageism in Hollywood. The Broad strokes allow the viewer to relate to this very successful actress playing herself in an alternate reality. When the viewer is allowed to fill in the blanks and make their own conclusions the revelations are far more personal than being lectured for an hour and a half.   


Robin Wright gives a brilliant performance in this film. With this and House of Cards she is on a hell of a role these days and I look forward to seeing what she does next.



The Congress is available on Amazon and iTunes and will have a limited theatrical release in September

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Internet Trolls and Critics in the Age of Rotten Tomatoes - A Look at the Critical Response to GOTTI

By
Hate, intolerance, and cruelty are the most valued currencies in the digital age. Online publications deal in the same eye-catching tabloid headlines that were once exclusive to rags like WEEKLY WORLD NEWS and the NATIONAL ENQUIRER. The monetization of clicks is ruining many forms of journalism and film criticism is just one of them. When organizations can see what headlines are generating revenue its only natural that sensationalism would start to rise. There is no consorted hivemind like conspiracy to destroy certain films but rather internet activity that has boosted a certain type of writer. From the outside, online film critics share quite a bit with their Twitter troll counterparts.

The critical response to John Travolta's passion project Gotti has been less than favorable, in fact, it has been downright abysmal. A project over ten years in the making, Travolta has poured his heart and soul into this venture. And many writers seem to take pleasure in the film's failure.

I…
1 comment
Read More >>

NO ALTERNATIVE review

By
Depression is often marked by sadness, despair, and hopelessness. The sense that things will not get better is something most of us pass through at different points in our lives. But depression is something more than that. It’s not just a temporary feeling, it’s a debilitating emotional state that you can’t simply pull yourself out of. The angry outbursts, irritability, and frustration that come along with depression can isolate individuals suffering from this condition and push them deeper into their own thoughts. Everyone needs to be heard and sometimes those who can’t express themselves in traditional forms find their voice in art.
Edvard Munch wrestled with agoraphobia and frequently had hallucinations, one of which inspired THE SCREAM, a painting so iconic that even the most casual art enthusiast is familiar with the piece.  Sylvia Plath took a more direct approach with THE BELL JAR and laid out the details of her depression with brutal honesty. Briana Dickerson a white suburba…
Post a Comment
Read More >>

THE True Bromance Film Podcast - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

By
Episode 208 - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

We like to keep up with the latest and greatest in the film universe so for this episode we're dialing up Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. In a world where superhero films saturate the market, can an animated feature distinguish itself from the pack?

MOVIES DISCUSSED THIS WEEK:

A Fistful of Dollars, The Favourite, Skyscraper, The Meg, RBG, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Searching, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse


Post a Comment
Read More >>