Weekly Review -- Shifting identities

Ellie Parker (2005) -- A dark, hilarious comedy. A sharp satire focusing on the paradox that is Hollywood. A drama about looking for oneself in a world of false realities. These would be some potential descriptions for Scott Coffey's Ellie Parker, a film that uses the insecurities and superficialities of its characters to weave a meaningful story. The film follows the titular character, expertly played by Naomi Watts, as she attempts to get a career started in the cutthroat world of la-la land. She goes through bad auditions, painful breakups and meaningless hookups, all the while starting to doubt that she even knows her true self anymore. I appreciate the fact that Coffey chose to documents the character's experiences using digital video, since any other technique would have directly contradicted the film's sardonic tone and depictions of a decadent lifestyle. The realism of the piece brings us into Ellie's splintered world; it makes us sympathize, laugh and scream with her as the occasion calls for it. Watts is endearing as she wears Ellie's disoriented heart on her sleeve, caught up in the merciless world of show business, yet realizing her confused state of mind. The audition scenes and the car scene in between are funny and compelling, mostly due to Watts' subdued demeanor that betrays a quiet mania of anticipation. The ultimate beauty of Ellie Parker lies in its presentation of the main character's numerous issues. Coffey's analysis of her dilemmas makes us (almost) understand the addictive potential of success being just around the corner, but also makes us pity a lost soul caught up in a grinding cycle, one that has misplaced the meaning of art and humanity a long time ago.

8/10