| |
 |
|
|
Movies Forum Index » Movie Reviews Forum » Review: My Pink Shirt (2007)...
Page 1 of 1
|
| Author |
Message |
| Andrew Staker... |
 Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 1:02 am |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Director Charles Kassatly had an idea for a story, so he got Alfred
Skinner to write him a screenplay. On the face of it, the idea and
writing are enticing. There is a talented yet unknown painter Danielle
(Jennifer Kalinowski), who happens to be a mother who happens to
engage in prostitution and happens to contract HIV. Her death is
pretty quick and this leaves her daughter Regency (Milly Crnogorac)
alone to fend for herself on the mean streets.
This is a tale of exploitation at the hands of those society entrusts
to care for the most vulnerable: the Church and social workers. It is
also a look at the gruesome unpredictability and instability of
underworld life, with Regency's pimp being predictably tasteless and
morally debased. The one link left with humanity is her camaraderie
and mateship with fellow street-worker Sahara (Athena Guy) and the
'good' priest (Amish Patel) when Regency enters the pit of her drug-
fuelled decline. There is a tragi-romantic entanglement with an art
teacher Waylan (Giancarlo Brun del Re).
Unfortunately, I can't say I enjoyed the film. Potentially engaging
scenarios and characters are let down by the numerous and obvious
technical flaws and limitations of the filmmakers. Kassatly does not
handle the locations well and lighting is often a distraction rather
than an enhancement. There is also the over-dependence on Church
(specifically Catholicism) as moral compass which I felt was employed
more for symbolic and visual devises and hence came across as hollow
and disingenuous.
Running at 75 mins, it still felt too long! There is a sense of tedium
which kicks in and refuses to lift. The shots are hermitically-sealed
and barely believable. The fetishisation of these thin, diseased, pale
women with torn fishnets, high heals and trashy faces transcends the
requirements of realism to become directorial indulgence, in my
opinion. What this says about Kassatly's views on women I'll leave for
others to ponder.
I raise this because the DVD provides abundant extra material,
including lengthy 'making of' footage which gives us an insight into
how the director worked and how the film was shot. It is the height of
bitchiness to say so, but I am tempted to say I found this half of the
disc to be way more interesting. I would find it hard to recommend
this film to the general viewer. Those doing research for filmmaking
or substance abuse may find it useful, as it nominated for The Prism
Award for realistic depiction of substance abuse.
Andrew Staker |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| |
|
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
The time now is Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:27 am
|
|