Movie of the Day: January 28, 2003

IMDb Movie of the Day
A strange blend of modernized fairy tale, societal satire and something like self-parody, Hal Hartley's No Such Thing is film of contrasts and commentary. Initially, the film focuses on Beatrice (Sarah Polley), a naïve young assistant/cubicle-dwelling Cinderella at a TV network, contrasted with the Boss (Helen Mirren), the slick network producer/evil stepmother. Beatrice asks if she might investigate what happened to the network's camera crew that disappeared on location in Iceland, since a member of the crew was her fiancé. The Boss, completely oblivious to the loss of the crew, lets her investigate what might make a sensational story if the rumor is true - the crew was killed by a monster. Beatrice sets off on her explorative journey, which is fraught with the fairy tale mainstays - distractions and mortal danger - that end up setting her right back on her original path but with friends to help her, including the motherly Doctor Anna (Julie Christie) and isolated townsfolk who lead her to the lair of the monster. One Beatrice reaches the secluded Icelandic isle of the Monster (Robert John Burke), the story becomes all his, as he spews forth his doctrine of hatred for humans, allowing Hartley to comment plainly on the ills of mankind. Made miserable because he is unable to die and escape man, Beatrice agrees to help the Monster find the mad scientist who can kill him, even though it involves the pair heading to New York. Not surprisingly, they find that people there no longer fears monsters, leaving the Monster a quickly discarded curiosity, but still a worthy tool for Hartley's exploration of fame, compassion and the failures of modern media. (more)

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