journal features

movie review - Georgia

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 1997.01.24

This is a flick about two sisters who are singers. One, played by Jennifer Leigh, is the troubled sort, a junkie who burns through her friends in the usual arc of self-destruction as a star. Mare Winnigham plays the straight one, a respected performer in her own right.

The basic tale is a good one, without a lot of unnecessary drama and angst. There is a rivalry that lies between the two sisters that is both realistic and more than sufficient to prevent the "good sister" from simply falling into the role of keeper for the more tortured one. This is done well enough, in fact, that it smacks of being based on a real story. And, I mean that as a compliment. This was a surprisingly good change of pace for me.

Recommended.

rand()m quote

The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to such a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love, and in order to occupy and distract himself without love he gives way to passions and coarse pleasures, and sinks to bestiality in his vices, all from continual lying to other men and to himself.

—Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov