Good Dick

Posted on September 29, 2008 at 11:33 am by rbaglin | Permalink

Released 26th September 2008

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Excited to see the film that won the New Director’s Award at Edinburgh International Film Festival and received praise at Sundance, nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, we were filled with high expectations. However, every now and then a film comes along that leaves you stumped and rather confused as to why such a film with such delicate subject matter and bizarre narrative would be commissioned? One of Good Dick‘s initial problems is just who it targets?—————————————-

Written, directed and co-produced by Scottish filmmaker Marianna Palka, who takes the lead of the troubled girl, starring opposite her real-life boyfriend, Jason Ritter, who also plays a similar character with a dark past, the chemistry between the pair is evident and a much-needed boost to an equally troubling film. In short, this project deals with some very sensitive issues and is held together by stellar performances from the lead roles and a bizarre love story. Basically, Good Dick is very much a film for the ‘art-house’ romantics out there.

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From a personal point of view, this film keeps you guessing far too much. To start with, for some reason the lead characters’ names, amongst many, are never revealed. Perhaps, the film-maker’s intention was to add mystery and uniqueness to the story? On the other hand, it could be another self-indulgent film-maker trying to make rather unclear statement in the world of indie cinema? Either way, it was an odd and unnecessary expression to make, more so for a film with a deceiving title that may attract more mainstream audiences as it implies comedy amongst other things.

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The plot follows the relationship between a lonely introverted girl, and a young video store clerk vying for her attention. But, it is the story beneath that along with painful silences so constantly adhered to this genre that may leave the audience guessing, potentially, verging on boredom. The young (nameless) girl, after cutting herself off from the world, spends her days in her pyjamas, eating junk food and looking at pictures of what we presume was her as a young naked child. The rest is spent renting porn videos and, hesitating to say, ‘pleasuring’ herself. Cue her white knight who comes in the form of the troubled young man from the video store, living out of his car. After trying and failing miserably to talk to her by advising her on her choice of soft 80s’ porn, he pursues the girl, in doing so borders on stalking her. He makes it his mission to break down the barriers, and so beings the strangest courtship on screen to date. Starting with voyeuristic viewing of porn together, he tries to teach her sex can be emotional and loving. This unfolds to be the underlying issue to her problems - a suggested abused past. However, there are some sweet moments when you really feel the emotions of the duo, as Jason Ritter’s character finally coaxes the girl out of her house, to which we see her let her guard down and clutch to his hand with all her might. Such moments are few and far between as the rest of the time, the girl uses the boy as her emotional punch bag.

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Being aware of the issues tackled in this film, it was disturbing that they were used in potentially an unrealistic way. For example: let’s be honest here, what young girl, especially one who is stuck between a world of claustrophobia and social phobia, whilst dealing with being sexually abused by her father, would then let a random male in to her house and her world to watch porn?

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Is this deemed as a ‘quirky’, dark indie film or bordering on being a perverse tale of two lost souls? A tough call and one you ultimately have to make for yourself. Whilst not cinematic entertainment, it is, nevertheless, a film that has and will go down a storm in the ‘art-house’ cinema circles.

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By Rachel Baglin

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Synopsis

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Good Dick is a modern fairy tale about a troubled, reclusive young woman and the persistent video clerk who draws her out of her claustrophobic world by starting up a unique courtship with her. As they become closer, her sexual antipathy is met with his unflinching optimism, until finally her aggressive defences overwhelm them both and the relationship bursts apart. Profoundly affected by his presence in her life, she finds that she has the courage to face her past.

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Film Facts

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Official UK site: http://www.gooddickthefilm.com/

UK release date: 3rd October 2008

Director: Marianna Palka

Writer: Marianna Palka

Cast: Marianna Palka, Jason Ritter, Tom Arnold (’Dad’)

UK Distributor: The Works UK Distribution Ltd

Certificate: 15

Run-time: 90 mins

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Awards: