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Review: "Gigantic"
Feb. 22nd, 2010 09:19 pmRobin and I recently watched "Gigantic" (1998) with Paul Dano (the non-speaking teenager from "Little Miss Sunshine"), Zooey Deschanel (the singer and sister of Emily who stars in "Bones"), and John Goodman ("Roseanne," "Barton Fink," "True Stories"). I spotted this movie in the library and wondered why we hadn't watched a movie with these great actors, brought it home, and then saw that it had mediocre reviews at best.
It's just the sort of movie to get panned for being very slow and having very little happening, mostly just people sitting around sort of talking. I mean there's a guy trying to decide what mattress to buy. There's a grad student talking about his research with rats. There's a guy on the phone finding out that his application has gone nowhere. There's a shooting and a stabbing. And there's a gal explaining to a random stranger why her dad is asking him for a ride to the doctor.
I enjoyed watching it and wished the story had lasted a bit longer, but didn't love it. Mostly, it made me want to watch another episode of "Bones."
But then, the movie stuck with me. First, there are the questions. Why is it called "Gigantic?" I finally decided it was because big things are happening to the main characters.
Why does the gal dress like that at home? I remembered that's just how her mother dressed.
How does the rat research apply to the plot? And to whom? I still don't know.
Is there only one stalker or several? I think one. Does he follow all kinds of people or just one? Don't know. Was he really in Vermont? Maybe he followed the guy onto a train. Was he even real or just symbolic? Real--other people observed some of the consequences of his actions.
Why did the guy lie sometimes (even about things most people wouldn't mind sharing), and why did he tell the full, fabulous truth other times (even about things most people would mind sharing)? Was it based on whether the questioner really wanted to know the answer? Or on what the guy was actually embarrassed by?
And then there are a few really nice lines. And some really good acting. And I just like listening to the two main characters talk. They have quiet but interesting voices and expressive faces.
Part of me thinks that if I'm ever in the mood to watch this movie, I'd probably rather see "About a Boy." It has a similar happy ending, but the lessons are more clearly spelled out somehow. It also reminds me of Hal Hartley movies, only compared to those, "Gigantic" has the clearer plot.
Well, if you sometimes like indie movies about regular people going through life, sometimes dealing with very odd situations, you might like this movie.
It's just the sort of movie to get panned for being very slow and having very little happening, mostly just people sitting around sort of talking. I mean there's a guy trying to decide what mattress to buy. There's a grad student talking about his research with rats. There's a guy on the phone finding out that his application has gone nowhere. There's a shooting and a stabbing. And there's a gal explaining to a random stranger why her dad is asking him for a ride to the doctor.
I enjoyed watching it and wished the story had lasted a bit longer, but didn't love it. Mostly, it made me want to watch another episode of "Bones."
But then, the movie stuck with me. First, there are the questions. Why is it called "Gigantic?" I finally decided it was because big things are happening to the main characters.
Why does the gal dress like that at home? I remembered that's just how her mother dressed.
How does the rat research apply to the plot? And to whom? I still don't know.
Is there only one stalker or several? I think one. Does he follow all kinds of people or just one? Don't know. Was he really in Vermont? Maybe he followed the guy onto a train. Was he even real or just symbolic? Real--other people observed some of the consequences of his actions.
Why did the guy lie sometimes (even about things most people wouldn't mind sharing), and why did he tell the full, fabulous truth other times (even about things most people would mind sharing)? Was it based on whether the questioner really wanted to know the answer? Or on what the guy was actually embarrassed by?
And then there are a few really nice lines. And some really good acting. And I just like listening to the two main characters talk. They have quiet but interesting voices and expressive faces.
Part of me thinks that if I'm ever in the mood to watch this movie, I'd probably rather see "About a Boy." It has a similar happy ending, but the lessons are more clearly spelled out somehow. It also reminds me of Hal Hartley movies, only compared to those, "Gigantic" has the clearer plot.
Well, if you sometimes like indie movies about regular people going through life, sometimes dealing with very odd situations, you might like this movie.