HeathCliff-2
It's funny sometimes to read other people's reviews and they're bored when you're thrilled, or vice versa. I loved this movie. I consider myself a discriminating viewer and knowledgeable about film-making - plus I have a really low threshold for being frustrated or bored and annoyed by inferior film-making, acting, scripts, etc. This movie was a very pleasant surprise, due singlehandedly to the triple-threat actor, director, scriptwriter, not to mention other duties, Michelle Ehlen. I haven't seen her work before, and only after I watched the movie and read the credits and saw her name in so many roles I almost expected her to have catered the production (which she probably did). But that also explains the very unified vision. The film had a very solid through- line point of view, very consistent in its tone and presentation. The basic story, as you probably know, is the dual identity scenario where she's cast as a man in a film, and how it impacts her life and relationships and perception. She is flawless - her timing, her writing, both improv and scripted, her naturalistic acting ability, her wry wit. I'm a big fan. She's the type of performer who could read from a telephone book (yes, I know, there's almost no such thing anymore), and make it interesting. Others commented that they were bored. I was so thrilled at all the nuances and rhythm, the dialogue and reactions, the subtlety of the wit, that is totally was in sync with my sensibilities. I don't necessarily need broad humor - in fact the broad moments were the least impactful, like when she dresses really feminine for an early audition, a moment that doesn't quite ring true, and turns out was an exaggeration of what she experienced in her own life. I highly recommend this film. I've almost given up on gay films, they are almost always so formulaic, and have no resemblance to my life or what I see around me. And yes, Michelle is not quite believable as a man - oh, those sideburns - but ultimately, it's not critical.
Red-125
Butch Jamie (2007) was written and directed by Michelle Ehlen, who also starred in the film. (Ms. Ehlen is a very talented woman.)This movie--set in Hollywood, but shot mostly in Albany, NY--is about a butch lesbian (Jamie) who wants to find work as an actor in Hollywood. Unfortunately, when she answers casting calls as a femme woman, she gets nowhere. However, when she goes as "herself," she's offered work--in a man's role. The rest of the plot revolves around the results of Jamie's acceptance of this role. The director and producer of the film-within-a-film know she's a woman, and, of course, we know it, but no one on the set knows it.Michelle Ehlen makes us believe in Jamie as a person, and she's a good enough actor to make us believe in "Male Jamie" as well. Tiffany Anne Carrin plays the beautiful young member of the film crew who's attracted to Male Jamie, and Olivia Nix does a great job as Nola, Jamie's roommate. Nola's goal in life is to make a star of Howard, her cat. (Howard is portrayed by Huey. Butch Jamie was his first important role. Huey isn't listed in the IMDb credits, but he's credited on screen. In any event, he does a great job.)This movie will work on DVD. We were fortunate to see it as part of ImageOut--the Rochester NY Lesbian and Gay Film & Video Festival.
