ASHBETTY.COM

Reviewed by Ashly Moore
Director:  Mary Harron
Actors:  Gretchen Mol, Guinevere Turner, Lili Taylor, Jonathan M. Woodward, and David Straithairn
 

The Notorious Bettie Page plays like a garden variety TV movie.  It’s a straight-up, point A to point B, review of Page’s life.  Knowing nothing about the “notorious” woman, I was interested in the story, but found myself vaguely bored with the distinctly un-notorious Page, whose desire to be a God-loving Christian amidst her saucy modeling career is kind of cute, but gets worn out.  Moll’s portrayal lacks any real depth of emotion, despite Page’s apparent conflict between God and pornography, not to mention her boyfriend and family’s distaste for her line of work.  Her history with an abusive father and a traumatic date rape seem to have no impact on her sunny and wholesome attitude.  These issues are breezily thrown in as if they have about as much emotional weight as a bad hair day.  Page frolics about, going from one shoot to another, her emotional state unchanging as the circumstances of the spreads (wink, wink) get seedier and seedier.  Her character is never fully fleshed out (nudge, nudge). 
            What might have been a more interesting movie is one that focuses on the brother-sister, S&M production team Irving and Paula Klaw, who filmed some of Page’s most notorious films and photographs.  Played by Chris Bauer and Lili Taylor, these two emerge as the most interesting characters of the film.  Taylor’s sharply clever performance makes Moll seem all the more listless.  There is an attempt to build the drama and significance of the Klaw trial and Page’s unexplained involvement with the case, but as with rest of the film, it falls flat due to a fatal lack of momentum.      

Tsotsi
 

Directed by Gavin Hood
Starring:  Presley Chwenayagae, Mothuso Magano, Kenneth Nkosi, Zenzo Ngqobe, Terry Pheto, Zola
 

After I saw Tsotsi a few weeks ago, I was telling Eric, our waiter at Deluxe about it.  I told him that it was set in South Africa; the story of a young man, known as Tsotsi who lives in an impoverished township and supports himself through theft that sometimes turns violent.  In one of the opening scenes, Tsotsi, accompanied by three accomplices, make an attempt to rob a middle-aged man at knifepoint in the middle of a crowded subway train.  The four youths move in quickly, boxing in their target.  Standing directly in front of him is the aptly named Butcher, who holds the knife against the older man’s chest. When the man shows signs of resistance, Butcher stabs him at once.  The faces of the others register shock as they struggle to hold the dying man up in an attempt to hide their crime from the throng of people surrounding them.  They maintain this uncomfortable position for several tense seconds until finally train stops, doors slide open and the passengers rush out.  As the last few commuters drain away, the four boys dash through the open doors themselves, leaving their victim crumpled on the floor.
After describing the premise of the film to Eric, I made the comment that it was a very beautiful film.  With a skeptical look on his face, he expressed surprise that a movie with such grim subject matter could be described that way.  But Tsotsi was indeed a film that is filled with exquisite beauty.  The despair and desperation of the story only makes the loveliness stand in sharper relief.  Part of this beauty is in the faces of the people represented.  Many of the actors have beautiful faces, but that is only a small part of it.  In one scene, Tsotsi goes to visit some stacked concrete drainpipes where he once lived.  There he is confronted by the current residents, a group of orphaned or abandoned children who defend their turf by throwing rocks at invaders.  The expressions on the faces of these little ones are intensely guarded, while at the same time their eyes show the naked curiosity of children who are only trying to make sense of the world. 
Does Tsotsi deal believably with the difficulties of this society?  It’s hard for me to say since I have never even visited South Africa and even if I had, I probably wouldn’t have gained an understanding of the lives reflected here.  All I can say is that I was moved by the story which seemed unusual, but believable.  The performances were elegant and restrained.  From the vibrant soundtrack, to the breathtaking visuals, to the surprising tenderness of the tale, this was a film that spoke to the points of connection between us, whoever we are.  I loved it.