Review of film: “MOTHERHOOD” + TRIBUTE To UMA THURMAN (= Opening Night of 45th CIFF )

Review of film:  “MOTHERHOOD” + TRIBUTE To UMA THURMAN

   =  Report on the OPENING Night for the 45^th CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL  

 On 10-30-09, I wrote up an initial report about the “RED CARPET” event for UMA THURMAN, her movie “MOTHERHOOD”, & the Q&A after the film was screened… 

…  I have since found a “missing” VIDEOTAPE I’d shot concerning the event, so I’m now going to utilize that to provide an “UPDATED” write-up with some NEW information about the Award to UMA & talks before & after the film:

…  The Film festival held its usual “RED CARPET” for the October 8th Opening Nite, altho --  partly due to the rainy & cold weather – it was done on the main (2nd) floor lobby of the AMC21 theater rather than outside…

…  TV crews were there from ABC channel 7 & WGN channel 9, along with independents including Fest partners such as Flashpoint  & I think Columbia College & DePaul University, plus a bunch of photographers including Bob Dowey on behalf of the Festival itself…

…  As people gathered around to get their passes for the Opening Nite events, I said hello to Festival founder MICHAEL KUTZA & congratulated him on his 45 years with the event… 

…(Many years ago, as a special fundraiser for the Fest, he used some of the movie footage I’d shot of ROGER EBERT interviewing honoree MARTIN SCORCESE at the Music Box theater)… 

…  Well aware of how hard it is to see the “stars” on the Red Carpet due to all the other people crowding around, I purposely stood with my still & video cameras “outside” that busy area in a roped-off area kitty-corner from the end of the carpet…

…  There, I stood next to a senior citizen lady & her grandson. She carried a very large (around 2’x3’) enameled photographic plaque from the movie “PULP FICTION”.  She (& relatives) had gotten silver-ink AUTOGRAPHS on it from Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta & Bruce Willis, & was very much hoping she could get the final person’s autograph tonite--  namely, that of UMA THURMAN.  [ = Here’s a PHOTO of the plaque: ]

… As often happens (especially with bad weather), things soon started running “LATE” as to people arriving for the Red Carpet…

…  The first well-known name to arrive was JACQUELINE BISSET, the Jury President of the Festival’s International Feature Film competition (& an honoree of the Festival in 2007).  She looked wonderful, and was very gracious to the people who wanted to interview and take photos of her…

…  In my area, there was a lady who attended loads of the Festival movies and events (having bought a Founder’s Member pass via her Festival membership), & she was pleased when Jacqueline signed the large 216-page Program sold by the Festival…  [ = See PHOTO: ].

…  In time, film critic & longtime Fest supporter ROGER EBERT (an Honoree in 2007) arrived with his wife, CHAZ, and walked the Red Carpet… 

...  Soon after that, Chicago’s Mayor RICHARD M. DALEY arrived & stood for interviews & photos… 

…  The Opening Nite film was “MOTHERHOOD” by Director KATHERINE DIECKMANN, & she arrived & walked the Red Carpet at this time…   [ = See PHOTO: ]

…  Finally, running around an hour late, the film’s star UMA THURMAN arrived.  She was very tall & sheathed in a mid-gray dress.  As she walked from the escalator towards the red carpet, a lady behind a rope asked if she’d SIGN something…

…  But, as the plaque-holding lady commented beside me, Uma DECLINED to sign anything--  seemingly because she had a CAST on her right arm (which I hadn’t noticed because it was covered-up by the long arms of her dress!)…

…  Feeling she thus would not get her highly-prized collectible signed that day, the lady sadly LEFT the theater as Uma started posing for her interviews & photos…    

…  In time, the honored guests & audience adjourned to the upstairs movie theater area.  In the past, the Opening Nite was held at a large classic movie palace, such as the Chicago Theater (which holds like 3500 people)…

…  But, since all the main events this year were moved to the AMC21 (whose largest theaters hold around 450 people), that vastly reduced the number of seats available for the event.

…  Due to a large interest by the public (which caused a SELL-OUT of the 1 planned theater before the Fest even opened), the Festival offered seats in a 2nd theater there-- at a reduced price, since people there (where I was seated) would only be seeing a TV “FEED” of the live event in the main theater…

…  When they offered a limited number of still-unoccupied seats in the main theater, I eagerly accepted a spot & moved to there…

…  Various executives of the Festival (including Mr. KUTZA) greeted the audience / attendees.  One person read a Proclamation by Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois (one of the Festival’s Premier Partners along with American Airlines), honoring the Festival during its run…

…  Mr. Kutza commented on some of the words in it, pointing out that it’s not only the oldest film festival in the United States, it’s the oldest in all of NORTH AMERICA [meaning, older than the huge one in Toronto]…

…  The Host of the evening was DEAN RICHARDS of WGN TV...

...  And Dean introduced VIVIAN TENG, the Managing Director of the Fest...

...  She introduced 3 of the members of the International JURY – JACQUELINE BISSET of the U.K., SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO of Iran, & New Zealand’s BRUCE SHERIDAN (who’s Chair of the Film & Video Department of COLUMBIA COLLEGE, which is the [main] Presenting Partner of this year’s Fest)...    [ = See PHOTO: ]

…  Dean Richards then introduced Dr. WARWICK CARTER, President of Columbia.  He told the history of the College (which was originally founded in the 1890’s as a women-only institution), & proudly commented on how it is now the world’s LARGEST college specializing in film and related arts, with more than 12,000 students...    [ = See PHOTO: ]

…  After more introductions, Mr. Kutza started talking about the nite’s main Tribute for Career Achievement honoree UMA KARUNA THURMAN.  He told how she was born in Boston [on April 29, 1970]:  her mother [Nena] was born in Mexico [tho she’s also described as being a “European socialite” & former model], & her father [Robert] was an Amherst College professor of Indo-Buddhist religions and the first Westerner to be ordained as a Buddhist monk...

…  As she grew up, Uma --  whose name means “The Great Middle Way” – at times had the Dalai Lama as a visitor to the family’s home…

…  Starting at an early age [namely, 15], she began working as a MODEL [in New York] & wanted to be an actress. It was announced at tonite’s introduction that her film “debut” [first real live on-screen movie role] was in 1988’s “JOHNNY BE GOOD” [altho IMDB claims it was in 1987’s “KISS DADDY GOODNIGHT”]…

…  She subsequently appeared as Venus in 1988’s “THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN”, & then became famous in that year’s “DANGEROUS LIAISONS”.  One person in the film industry was known to comment that, “She’s more than a little ‘haunted’!”…

…  Her breakout film role [for which she was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress] was as Mia in 1994’s “PULP FICTION” (an announcement that drew hearty applause from the audience)…

…  And, she later appeared in “GATTACA” in 1997 [where she met ETHAN HAWKE, whom she later married], won a Golden Globe [in 2003, as Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television] for Mira Nair’s “HYSTERICAL BLINDNESS”…

…  After that, she received great recognition [including Golden Globes’ Best Actress nominations] for her work in Tarantino’s “KILL BILL” Volume’s 1 (2004) & 2 (2005)…

…  At one point, they projected a special 3+ minute RETROSPECTIVE of her work prepared by the Festival staff.  After that, another introduction was started--  & the words were so indefinite, they made Uma think she was being CALLED UP to the stage right then, tho it was really just an introduction of ANOTHER person who would introduce her;  a bit flustered, she hurriedly walked BACK towards the center of the theater…

…  Mr. KUTZA soon came up to the podium.  In a relaxed way, he commented on how, he trusted that his highly-regarded staff had done things “properly” this year, & that there would not be any embarrassing “glitch” like last year where he couldn’t FIND the STATUE to be presented to that nite’s honoree, Steven Spielberg!…

…  As fate would have it, when he checked under the podium, the statue was NOT there as expected!  Clearly taken aback & peeved that it had happened AGAIN, he kept calling for his new assistant to promptly come up to the podium & CLEAR-UP the problem, & explained to the audience that he was serious— he truly COULDN’T FIND the statue!…

…  The young assistant eventually came down to the stage area, found the statue which had (for some reason) been put in back of the black curtain in front of the SCREEN behind the podium (rather than under the lectern), & handed it to Mr. Kutza--  who kiddingly wisecracked that, “He’s new--  & will be ‘DEAD’ by tomorrow!…  [I’m just] Joking!--  but these movies do ‘INSPIRE’ you!…”

…  After laughs from the audience, Mr. Kutza then read some of the WORDS to be inscribed on the statue, describing Uma as “an ICON in American cinema”, & called her up to the stage (accompanied by hearty applause from the audience in attendance)...

…  Uma heartily THANKED the Festival for the honor, commenting that, “This is an incredible HONOR—”.  When she said, she’d never received a “LIFETIME” award, Mr. Kutza politely corrected that it was a “CAREER award” [rather than the Festival’s golden “Lifetime” one].  She corrected her words…

…  Continuing, Uma spoke of how she’d been doing acting for “23 years”, & “It’s an incredibly ‘ADDICTIVE’ thing, this storytelling—” in cinema…

…  She remarked that she felt HONORED to get an award from the oldest Film Festival in North America, & was SURPRISED to learn she’d be getting such an award concerning her career, partly because “nor do I feel I DESERVE one at this point”…  She added that, “I always feel, before I start work, that I have NO IDEA what I’m DOING!”…

…  Referring to the “MOTHERHOOD” movie we were about to see, Uma described it as “This movie I made this year, which I LOVE—” is a film that is “from the HEART”, done by Katherine & the cast with an independent spirit that’s “open & BRAVE”…  Uma indicated she hoped the audience would very much LIKE her latest film, because she quite enjoyed MAKING it…

…  She again THANKED the Festival for her award &, as she was leaving the area, turned & answered Michael’s question by saying, the only movie she’d actually shot IN Chicago was “MAD DOG & GLORY”, altho another one just “pretended” to being shot here.  She then returned to a seat in the theater…

…  Writer-director KATHERINE DIECKMANN then was called up to podium…  She spoke of how this was her FIRST feature film, how she feels Chicago is “dedicated” to films, & she was thus very pleased to have her film screened here…

…  As to the script, she related that “I did loose ASPECTS of in [based] on my OWN life”:  she does live in New York (where it’s set), she does have a 2-story apartment [as Uma does in the film], she has had an arthritic dog, & so on…

…  Overall, her goal was to write of “a mother who’s FRUSTRATED sometimes”.  It was written in part because, in most movies, the mothers shown are NOT ones she “could feel PASSION for”, & she wanted to create one who fit that description…

…  Katherine thanked UMA for her work in the film (along with others in the cast), & particularly for “committing PASSIONATELY to it”…  She commented that, she feels her film “speaks to UNIVERSAL issues” rather than just small specific ones.  As to Uma’s efforts in it, she believes it’s “a SURPRISING performance, both comedic and with a surprising RICHNESS”…

…  Mr. Kutza then formally WELCOMED people to this year’s 45th Festival, & urged them to ENJOY the rest of the week…

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Here is my writeup on the film ITSELF:

Review of film:  “MOTHERHOOD”

Director:

Katherine Dieckmann.

Writer:

Katherine Dieckmann

Starring:

Uma Thurman

Anthony Edwards

Minnie Driver

Arjun Gupta

Stephanie Szostak.

MPAA Rating:

Rated PG-13 for language, sexual references and a brief drug comment.

Quotes:

“To thine own self be true:  DON’T BREED!”

“I want to finish the laundry and a complex sentence.”

MY Rating: 

6.5 of 10 stars (for the 90-minute film).

Days (& Nites) of “WHINE” & Poses:  “Dithering” is WITHERING! =

            As to the film itself, UMA works hard to play a role described as a “beleaguered housewife” named Eliza Welch, who has to “contend” with forgetful & possibly-lazy husband ANTHONY EDWARDS…

…  They seem to be looking for ways to increase their incomes, & tho each operates with a good heart towards that end, they’re seldom successful (& that keeps increasing the stress level in their household)… 

…  Uma seems always in the midst of numerous simultaneous “overwhelming” projects, including trying to plan & bring off a birthday party for her 6-year-old daughter, while she herself is trying to win a writing contest on the internet…

…  Her best friend Sheila (MINNIE DRIVER) is angry at her, the traffic-clogged neighborhood is awash with tourists & a film crew, & nothing seems to go quite right for Uma and her plans.

…  The film came across as almost an acting “EXERCISE” for Uma, in that she’s on screen -- & COMPLAINING about things -- almost constantly, with an often-tiresome slew of words…

…  She’s frenzied, frayed & her consistent criticisms & dilemmas tended to “WEAR ME OUT” rather than come across as humorous or believable. The way it was all handled made it HARD for me to “CARE” about her & her frequently-self-caused & overstated problems…

…  If that’s what was “hoped-for” as a reaction, then it “succeeded” (but I personally found the script pretty weak overall).  I noticed that the audience as a whole expressed only a SMALL number of “chuckles” at the predicaments & dialogue, &, at the end, the film got only a very mild level of “polite” applause…  

…  Feeling that perhaps I was not the proper “target” audience for the film, I later purposely asked a woman who’d seen the preview what SHE thought of what we’d seen.  She said well, she’s a mother, but she found nothing that especially “resonated” with her from the film & its depictions, &, while it wasn’t “bad”, it came across as nothing “special”…

…  Another woman who saw the film also commented that she found it to be just “SO-SO” at best.  A number of people I talked to felt it was chosen as the Opening Nite entry mainly as a convenient way to ensure the attendance of UMA so the Festival could honor her for her other acting achievements…

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           REPORT on Q&A with Director KATHERINE DIECKMANN

AFTER the film, writer-director KATHERINE DIECKMANN came up to the front of the theater for a Q&A session.  The host asked her, did her “perception” of motherhood CHANGE as she made the movie?  She said, NO, she mainly just appreciated more what a parent “needs” to be successful…

…  When the host opened things up to the audience for questions, at first, NO ONE asked anything.  Finally, someone asked, how LONG did it take to make the movie?  She replied that, she’d started it “a while ago”, put it aside, then RE-WROTE it in 2007.  After that, she found a woman who said she’d BACK the entire movie financially, after which it was shot in QUICK order, taking just 28 days for that…

…  After some hesitation, an audience person asked a 2nd question, wondering whether she’d “THOUGHT” of Uma when she wrote the part.  Dispensing with “political correctness”, she said NO— when you have a $ 5 million film, there’s only like 10 well-known women you’d normally consider for such a role, namely, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Renee Zellweger, Kate Winslet, & “UMA happened to be on that list” & she was pleased with her commitment to it…

…  The host asked for more questions, but there were NONE.  Ms. Dieckmann seemed quite surprised & apparently DISPLEASED with that fact, based on the way she commented, “Nobody?…  Nothing?!… ”…  She sort of wearily accepted that fact, commented that the film opens nationally on 10-23, & urged people to “Spread the word!” about it…

…  I felt bad for her in how she seemed sincerely DISAPPOINTED in the audience’s “reaction” to what was clearly a labor-of-love project to her, but there seemed nothing concrete I could “do” about that situation…

(A number of people in the audience then went off with Katherine & Uma & the Festival staff for the sold-out extra-cost Cocktail Reception for the movie at theWIT Hotel…)

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