tomm-25 Ostensibly a sequel to the 1997 semi-serious black comedy "Henry Fool" (a "10" in my book), the first twenty minutes had me thinking it was just a horrible screen writing, bad-acting and terrible cinematography job. For one thing, the frame in every scene - and I mean EVERY scene - is "Dutch- (Deutsch)-tilted". There isn't a level shot in the entire movie.When I involuntarily started to guffaw, I realized that this was the intent. I restarted the DVD, and viewed it with entirely different eyes, ears and attitude. This film is a laugh-a-minute farce. Jeff Goldblum (not a player in the original Henry Fool cast) is a fabulous deadpan farceur contributing mightily to the general insouciance.Parker Posey displays a delightful and heretofore unknown penchant for comedy - comic timing, facial expression, and body-language - closely akin to Sandra Bullock's.Highly recommended!

boomerchinde A wonderfully quirky film with enough twists for a sack of pretzels. Parker Posey plays Fay Grim as a sexy, vulnerable, loving mother who may or may not be what she seems. The story is very tongue in cheek, and the dialog skillfully understated. Hints of humor and intrigue, neither of which overpower the characterization Posey pulls off so well. The supporting cast is stellar. The downside? This film needs your full attention, almost to the point of stopping the film and taking notes. Posey has more sex appeal in her lifting of an eyebrow than most actresses have in their entire body. She's worth your time, even if you don't understand the denouement.

Mihnea the Pitbull When I was a teenager, I used to write all kind of absurd stories, "plays" and "novels" (usually very short: one-page-plays, half-a-page novels, etc.), combining in the most illogical way all kind of clichés, in an attempt to satirize and parodiate various subjects: snobbery, sugary romanticism, genre fiction, etc. A few of them were pretty funny - but the most were total failures (no fun, no wits, no sharpness at all).While watching this "Fay Grim", for 3/4 of the screening, I was 100% convinced this was what it was: a failed parody at the worst thrillers. The total lack of reason, the ridiculous dialogs, the scandalous falseness of the actors, the outrageously cacophonous use of the sound-track (including those irritating noises trying to pass for "music", that seemed never to end), the illiterate cinematography, the ungrammatical editing, the fight scenes at the same level with a toddlers' game at bang-bang-I-shot-ya! - and all the other idiocies on screen seemed to be deliberate attempts to sarcasm, only devoid of humor, intelligence and professionalism.Unfortunately, in the last part, I understood how wrong I had been: poor Hartley really took himself seriously! He imagined indeed he was making a movie (and a serious one, by that!).As such, he deserves to be told the truth: Hal, baby, this stuff and movie-making are two VERY DIFFICULT things! It's not a child's play, with a camera and some actors who pitied you too much to tell you how retarded you are, and accepted to let you shoot them out of charity (I still wonder how aware is Goldblum of the self-disrespect level he proved with this masquerade). I would teach you a thing of two about what "cinema" means, but I doubt you are able to follow more than half of the first phrase. As such, please take my word: "Fay Grim" is as much a movie, as a pee puddle in a back alley is the Pacific Ocean. The bad news is that it stinks worse. The good news is that it can be wiped away as easily: just pour a gas canister over all the film reels and light a match. It will make a lot of smoke, but soon it will be over - an the world will be a better place.

Elswet Henry Fool surprised me. I didn't expect it to entertain and amuse as well, or as strongly, as it did. Fay Grim continues to surprise in that it provides solid continuation to a story that seems not to need it. Once the viewer watches the first 20 minutes of the movie, however, it becomes blindingly aware that this is one of the BEST sequels to brilliant indie film. At least as good as Ginger Snaps Back, if not better.I am a little disappointed that Jeff Goldblum's part is so small, but I'm happy he is a part of this short run. He is convincing and delightful as Agent Fulbright. Also a delight is Liam Aiken who quite aptly portrays Ned Grim, the son of Fay and Henry.This movie is a pleasure for so many reasons. I am pleased, for example, to discover that Henry isn't really the loser he seems (by the end of Fool), and to further discover that he is, in fact, a genius...well, that really is a lovely stroke of the pen.I am hoping they do a third...like the end of the trilogy. It seems to be missing. They should entitle it Ned Fool Grim and it should be Liam looking for his father, to validate the awesome change in his mother, and the sense of near-genius he himself feels welling inside him. Assuming, of course, that Fay continues withholding many of the most important facts from her son, concerning his father. It feels like it needs to be done. I'd buy it.Even with more action, this is still not an action flick. It is more drama and intrigue...a mystery, of sorts. I'll watch it often.It rates an 8.3/10 from...the Fiend :.