Reel Critics

Allen MacDonald

You know a writer/director has a distinctive voice when you know you

could identify the filmmaker solely on the viewing of the film.

You could drop the credits and publicity, yet I would still walk out

of the theater and confidently say, “Yep, that was a Todd Solondz film.”

Such is the case with “Storytelling,” Solondz’s fourth feature after

1989’s “Fear, Anxiety and Depression,” 1996’s “Welcome to the Dollhouse,”

and 1998’s controversial “Happiness.” Solondz’s makes an indelible

impression on your memory, whether you like it or not.

The film is divided into two shorter films that are related only in

theme. The first, “fiction” follows a grad student, Vi (Selma Blair),

who, fresh off being dumped by her physically handicapped boyfriend, has

a reckless, disturbing one-night stand with her black, Pulitzer

Prizewinning instructor. This first half-hour is the stronger segment,

bold and daring. It unblinkingly confronts racism, illustrating how both

teacher and student employ it as a tool of manipulation. It also has an

incisive exploration of writing theory, posing the question, “Do you need

to actively seek out traumatic experiences in order to write relevant

material?”

The second installment, “nonfiction,” follows a chronic loser (Paul

Galati) who makes one final reach for success by making a documentary

about an upper-class New Jersey family. John Goodman and Julie Hagerty

are the parents. Mark Weber plays their oldest son, Scooby, the focus of

the documentary. Scooby is the ultimate aimless youth: he has vague

ambitions of being a famous TV host, but often lacks the drive to do

anything.

“Storytelling” is a comedy, but a lot of people won’t be amused. In

fact, many will find it down right offensive. Solondz’s characters are

cruel. They do horrific things to each other. They wield words as

weapons, take advantage of each other’s flaws. They are shallow, often so

exceedingly selfish and ignorant that they don’t comprehend the depth of

their cruelty.

While Solondz focuses on the darker side of human nature he makes his

point of view powerful by letting his characters remain recognizably

human. The humor is intricately tied to pain. You laugh because the human

comedy is taken to such absurd extremes, but it also rings with an ounce

of truth.

Solondz appears to be replying to his own critics. Both parts of

“Storytelling” buoy the idea that any time you attempt to tell a “true

story,” it inevitably takes on unforeseen meaning once filtered through

the storyteller’s means of expression, whether that be an

autobiographical short story or a “real life” documentary. The

storyteller will involuntarily exert his/her own influence, and

therefore, nonfiction can easily mutate into sensationalized, exploitive

fiction.

* ALLEN MacDONALD, 29, is currently working toward his master’s degree

in screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles.