by Samantha Scott
Daily Lobo
"Fay Grim," the improbable sequel to the '97 indie hit "Henry Fool," confirms auteur Hal Hartley's devotion to the portrayal of present-day civilization, narrative prowess and trickster nature.
"An honest man is always in trouble." This maxim is the first line of Hartley character Henry Fool's lengthy confessions. It is one of many intricately crafted, purposely perplexing motifs explored in Hartley's new film.
The film has been interpreted by some as a blithe, wacky audience-mocking spy thriller satire. While the mise en scäne is revamped dramatically in "Fay Grim," the same meta-narrative continues in this sequel. Sure, you can enjoy this film on its own merit, having never seen its prequel. But, for those who truly want to savor the marrow of Hartley's meaty saga, a trip to your local video store to rent "Henry Fool" - either pre- or post-"Grim" - is strongly recommended.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Hartley devotees and newfound spectators alike are welcomed into the Fool-Grim cosmos with intentionally blurred yet highly choreographed cinematography. The emotive cinematography provides a potent filmic representation of small-town, single mother Fay Grim (Parker Posey). Grim's brother, Simon (James Urbaniak), is still imprisoned for assisting his sister's fugitive husband, Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan), in escaping the United States a decade earlier. Simon Grim was moved by loyalty to his poetic guru, Fool, to facilitate his escape. Fool's encouragement and tutelage ultimately led Grim to become a world-renowned, if caged, poet.
At the film's beginning, the plot's jerky twists and turns lure the viewer to believe the presented reality is, in fact, reality. Grim is approached by tenacious CIA Agent Fulbright (Jeff Goldblum) to coax her assistance in retrieving her wayward husband's confessional notebooks. Apparently, her spouse was a longtime, triple - if not quadruple - secret agent. His egotistical, pornographic confessions were actually encoded multinational security secrets. With her brother's immediate release negotiated, Grim jets off to Paris to engage in a potentially deadly espionage mission.
At the film's midpoint, a dramatic shift in the characters' actions and motives and Hartley's use of unconventional graphical elements begins to reveal the true nature of this epic fable. Hartley tells a story of desire, family, honor, love, politics and post-9/11 paranoia. But he weaves this tale by deconstructing and, more importantly, reconstructing, spy thriller conventions.
At the film's pivotal mid-point sea change, French spy Juliet (Saffron Burrows), derisively addresses Grim in her hotel room: "You Americans! You know all about home furnishings but have no clue what's happening in the world around you." This sharp dialogue reflects the ponderous symbiotic relationship between civilization and media. And "Fay Grim" exemplifies this symbiosis.
"Fay Grim"
Opens July 17
Guild Cinema
3405 Central Ave. SE
Also available on DVD
