Review: I, Curmudgeon
Posted by Richard on Friday, 1 October 2004Watched I, Curmudgeon at the Vancouver International Film Festival.
An excellent, if imperfect film—and intentionally imperfect, I believe, as we see shots of the director Alan Zweig setting up the camera and people in the top-left corner of the frame at different points. Not so much a documentary as a set of interviews with self-described negative people, people whom their friends would label curmudgeons. Zweig answered the question on everybody's mind after the show by saying that he did not put name labels on each of the interviewees, although they are named in the credits, because while some were famous, it was more important to show that they were people instead of famous people. I saw myself in a lot of those people, like Harvey Pekar, who said that the only time he enjoys life is when he's exhausted, because he's not nervous then (same here), and especially (my being a 26-year-old and all) the guy in his late twenties who remarked how fucked up it is that he didn't get laid in college (same here). I saw this film alone, despite asking publicly if anybody would have liked to join me. Not enough lead time, I was told by one, but even still, I made a small effort to do something with someone and nobody says they want to come do it with me. Bah humbug. I'm a 26-year-old grump, but this movie will hopefully make me reconsider the costs and the payoffs of being a grump.
I've written about this movie (or linked to quotes about it) a few times since seeing it:
- a quote from Chuck about the movie
- Second Act, in which I discuss how the director Alan Zweig was reflecting on the second act of a three-act life
- A Jaundiced, Misanthropic, Narcissistic, Defensive, Dismissive, and Embittered Outlook On Life, which features 3 quotes, 2 from Joe Clark, with substantial commentary from yours truly
- Some Reaction Against a Society That They Believe Has Rejected Them, on how non-curmudgeons would react if they saw "the truth" as curmudgeons see it
- a link and quote to commentary about the movie's lack of subtitles (not transcript subtitles, but those that announce who is speaking)