Michelle Williams

Hong Chau

Maryann Plunkett

John Magaro

André 3000

Amanda Plummer

Matt Malloy

Heather Lawless

James Le Gros

Denzel Rodriguez

Eudora Peterson

Judd Hirsch

Todd-o-Phonic Todd

Lauren Lakis

Jean-Luc Boucherot

Ted Rooney

Ben Coonley

Chase Hawkins

Izabel Mar

William Rihel III

Bahni Turpin

Dustin Clark

Holly Osborne

Ethan Benarroch

Hanna Caldwell

Kevin-Michael Moore

Theo Taplitz

Mia Bonilla

Sam Kamerman

Libby Werbel

Nova Kopp

Margaret Rodini

Orianna Milne

Mike D Harris

Cody Burns

Kristina Haddad

Victoria E. Henry

Kennedy Morris

Dvonte Robinson

Teal Sherer

Rowan Vik

Christopher Blauvelt

Morgan Muta

Lisa Ward

April Napier

Amy Beth Silver

Anthony Gasparro

Louise Lovegrove

Kameron Gates

Janet Price

Leslie Bloome

Bryan Fletchall

Michelle Perkowski

Ben Mercer

Gayle Keller

Cody Curtin

Madeline Little

Kody Harvard

Josh Pino

Shaun Brennan

Ryan Collison

John-Michael Bills

Sean Goller

Lillian Hennings

Adrian Seery

Mike Vukas

Keaton Suskie

Connor Nagy

Kyle Casey

Nick Seaman

Brenden McBrayer

Hunter Hamilton

Danica Sheean

Michael Diallo

Amber Poer

Roni Pillischer

Sara Beko

Lane Clark

Blake Hawes

Morgan Raymond

Megan Ho

Ryan Lloyd

Chris King

Kale Heily

Michelle Damis

Brady Romberg

Bruce Lawson

Patrick Servais

Jason Dinges

Taylor Lawson

Rodrigo Melgarejo

Philip A. Anderson

Cameron Carey

Adam Rosko

Sierra Bay Robinson

Jahn Sood

Donald Scott Masterson

Dan Maughiman

Lisa Caryl-Vukas

Lexi Morsch

Lorena Lomeli Moreno

Kyle Wallace

James Farro

Brady J. Condit

James A. Smith

Jeanise Herrell

Tyler Tronson

Savey Cathey

Mike Neal

Inman Young

Lex Damis

T.G. Firestone

Eric Macey

Brett Roberts

Desera Silva Frentress

Becca Letourneau

Jeff Rowles

Erika Suchecki

Dawn Sutter Madell

Aaliyah Gray

Charlotte Newsom

Bailey Thabit

Elizsabeth Vander Houwen

Daniel Timmons

Tony Volante

Chris Connolly

Josh Millman

Jade Olson

Kelly Reichardt

Becky Glupczynski

Mark Sean Haynes

Ethan Rose

Simon Max Hill

Beau Emory

Stacie Thomas

Matt Lask

Comedy

Drama

Showing Up

filmscience

United States of America

Brent Marchant

When I come across a film that’s the cinematic equivalent of witnessing the emperor’s nakedness, I feel compelled to shout it from the rooftops, something I would readily do with regard to this latest comedy-drama from director Kelly Reichardt. This plodding, insular, minimalist, frequently inscrutable offering tells the “story” (if it can even be called that) of a Portland ceramic sculpture artist (Michelle Williams) struggling to create her works for an upcoming gallery show when faced with the distracting burdens of mundane domestic crises and incendiary but largely unexplained family issues. However, little happens here, and the narrative is more of a showcase for the movie’s artwork than a vehicle with a definable plot, a problem further enhanced by a lack of any meaningful back story and solid character development (I guess that what they mean by “nuanced”). Indeed, one can tell when a release like this is truly in trouble when its most interesting and best defined characters are a housecat and an injured pigeon. The picture’s feeble attempts at humor nearly always fall flat, too, most of which are drier than dust (there’s subtle and then there’s inconsequential). It really troubles me when I see a seriously undercooked production like this undeservedly becoming widely acclaimed with over-inflated accolades. I’ve found this also to be the case with many of this filmmaker’s other works, but “Showing Up” represents a new low in her filmography. Not even the award-winning ensemble cast, with the likes of Williams, Hong Chau, Judd Hirsch, Amanda Plummer and Maryann Plunkett – the picture’s only noteworthy asset – can save this one from its own inherent failings. Experimental cinema is one thing, but unfocused, pointless, stream of consciousness filmmaking is something else entirely.

CinemaSerf

Try as I might,I just don't get Michelle Williams' style of rather moody and laconic delivery. She just always underwhelms me, and here is no different. This time she is "Lizzy" whose cat has an altercation with a pigeon which she chucks out of the door only for it to be rescued by her neighbour/landlord "Jo" (Hong Chau). Now she seems much more concerned about this rat with wings than she does with her lodger's frustrating lack of hot water. Anyway, pretty soon the pair are sharing the task of helping it recover the use of it's wing whilst "Lizzy" gets to grips with a forthcoming exhibition of her sculptures. That's the first ten minutes, thereafter we head down a more familiar dramatic route with a bit of a (quite entertaining) disaster then some family baggage to be dealt with along the way. For me, the undoubted star of this overlong and slightly repetitive story is the bird. It appears much more savvy of the unfolding narrative and appreciative of the path it was going to undoubtedly take than either of the lead actors. It's decently put together this, but the whole thing seems to lack much point or purpose. It suffers from a distinct lack of realism or relevance and though it's never boring, it is pretty humourless and has little memorable enough to merit recommending a cinema viewing.

English

SHOWING UP wins the ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards