The best thing about Flannel Pajamas was the trailer. I was so enticed by the promise of an honest, painfully simple what-do-new-york-couples-fight-about story, i went to an advance showing at the Angelika the day it opened in New York. The audience was thrilled when the director tore through beforehand to let us know he'd come back after the film for Q+A. Two painful hours later, same audience tripped over itself in a mad dash for the door as an usher reminded us that we were invited to stay for Q+A with Jeff Lipsky.
The opening scene is annoying - there's something oddly dated - as if the film is set in the early 90s but most likely that the director is a few years out of touch with popular culture. I am in awe of how poorly written, directed, acted and produced Flannel Pajamas was. I wanted to love Julianne Nicholson as the sensitive Nicole Reilley but the character was so poorly written, so simultaneously underdeveloped and desperate for my empathy that I couldn't even muster up annoyance! Justin Kirk lent an immediate air of seediness to the male lead - Stuart Sawyer - that I'm not sure should have been there. Maybe it was Kirk, but I think it was more likely Mr. Lipsky's inability to direct an overwhelming cast of characters. There are too many characters, too many empty conversations, too many overthought, underfelt scenes, too many words and not enough, not NEARLY enough sentiment.
Rebecca Schull as Nicole's mother is the movie's only redeeming point; she's wonderful.
I wanted to love this movie if that counts for anything. I wouldn't even recommend it for your Netflix queue...
The opening scene is annoying - there's something oddly dated - as if the film is set in the early 90s but most likely that the director is a few years out of touch with popular culture. I am in awe of how poorly written, directed, acted and produced Flannel Pajamas was. I wanted to love Julianne Nicholson as the sensitive Nicole Reilley but the character was so poorly written, so simultaneously underdeveloped and desperate for my empathy that I couldn't even muster up annoyance! Justin Kirk lent an immediate air of seediness to the male lead - Stuart Sawyer - that I'm not sure should have been there. Maybe it was Kirk, but I think it was more likely Mr. Lipsky's inability to direct an overwhelming cast of characters. There are too many characters, too many empty conversations, too many overthought, underfelt scenes, too many words and not enough, not NEARLY enough sentiment.
Rebecca Schull as Nicole's mother is the movie's only redeeming point; she's wonderful.
I wanted to love this movie if that counts for anything. I wouldn't even recommend it for your Netflix queue...