I saw the movie at the Atlanta Film Festival, and though it can be said the film had style and the actors gave thoughtful performances, and it was shot with relative textbook appropriate approach, it was limited in its overall potential by a tragically meandering script that left me without a clue as to what really happened both literally and metaphorically. Even within the seeming goals of the film; I guess, an exploration of existentialism, it is not enough to simply be a film, there must be cause and effect that has some shape and order.
I kept waiting for something to give me some clarity of purpose, but there was neither the expression of a goal nor an event that made even a single philosophical point. Things did happen, just as in life, but that is only okay in a documentary. In dramatic film making, especially in America, we demand a logical sense of purpose even if it is somewhat surreal, as this was.
It is sad to have to apply a number to a review, but it is with the comparison to other films with similar genre, that I can make a relative comparison. With a relatively small budget and a well written script, one can attract talent to make all else happen. Wait until that happens before making a film. Let's say "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" was a 10 and "Planet Nine From Outer Space" is a 1. "I am the Bluebird" would have to be a 4. In my mind, worth seeing for experimental value, but objectively not one I could recommend over the many choices available.
I kept waiting for something to give me some clarity of purpose, but there was neither the expression of a goal nor an event that made even a single philosophical point. Things did happen, just as in life, but that is only okay in a documentary. In dramatic film making, especially in America, we demand a logical sense of purpose even if it is somewhat surreal, as this was.
It is sad to have to apply a number to a review, but it is with the comparison to other films with similar genre, that I can make a relative comparison. With a relatively small budget and a well written script, one can attract talent to make all else happen. Wait until that happens before making a film. Let's say "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" was a 10 and "Planet Nine From Outer Space" is a 1. "I am the Bluebird" would have to be a 4. In my mind, worth seeing for experimental value, but objectively not one I could recommend over the many choices available.