Movie Reviews: Full Frontal

“Full Frontal” is the latest film effort from director Steven Soderbergh. Soderbergh is the same director who brought audiences: “Sex, Lies and Video Tape,” “Traffic,” “The Mexican,” “Ocean’s 11,” and “Erin Brokovich,” however, “Frontal” is lacking some magic. The film is basically a documentary about a film that is a documentary about a film. That last confusing sentence is not a typo. The film is confusing. We follow various actors, being themselves who are acting in a film about actors. Ugh. Using the documentary film style (think “Blair Witch” and 8 millimeter film) we follow these actors for a one-day time period. The lives that the audience interacts with are flat. Even with a star-studded cast, which includes, Julia Roberts, David Hyde Pierce, Blair Underwood, David Duchovny, and an appearance from Brad Pitt, there is nothing interesting about these people. There is nothing that pulls you into the film. We, the audience, are left with being outsiders in a story that lacks any real acting talent from its’ cast or director. Basically, Soderbergh has actors playing themselves, what a stretch! Negative thoughts aside there are some decent aspects to the film. Actor Nicky Katt, who isn’t exactly a household name, does a wonderful job as a quirky stage actor. He’s cocky and funny and so outlandish that you can’t help but wait for a scene with him in it. David Hyde Pierce, of NBC’s “Frasier,” is fabulous as the boring lonely husband to power executive wife Lee, played by indie film queen Catherine Keener. The other thing this movie does well is irony. The whole film is a play on irony. The only thing about the picture, that kept me in my seat, was searching for the obvious and hidden ironies. All in all this film is not horrible, but it isn’t great either, it’s just ok. It is definitely a rental for an independent film fan even though it’s filled with a non-indie cast.