Fear, Anxiety & Depression (1989)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Todd Solondz

Writer:

Todd Solondz (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Todd Solondz	...	Ira Ellis
Max Cantor	...	Jack
Alexandra Gersten
Jane Hamper	...	Junk
Stanley Tucci
Jill Wisoff	...	Sharon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J.J. Barry
Anne De Salvo	...	Sylvia
Kathleen Gati
Alison Gordy	...	Kim
Eric Gutierrez	...	Son, Play #1
Cathy Haase	...	Resturant manager
Helen Hanft	...	Roz
Janice Jenkins	...	Nurse
Alan Leach	...	Doctor
Bob Martana	...	Ira's Boss
Daniel Neiden	...	Actor, Play #2
Yvonne Roome	...	Mother, Play #1
Mark Webster	...	Intern

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Company:

MCEG/Sterling Entertainment

Soundtrack:

Prelude to 'Die Walkure'

A hilarious riot, very annoying but good

The character of "Junk" (Jane Hamper) is one of the funniest and original female characters ever written. She's like a younger, nihilistic, rock'n'roll version of certain characters from Woody Allen's films yet unlike any of them. She's the mythical anarchist/artist in the guise of a beautiful girl that male artsy types dream of as their muse. Except, they forget that she's also a woman first. The few scenes featuring "Junk" are absolutely classic, as good as any in Polanski's "Cul-de-Sac." Oddly enough, "Junk" is also reminiscent of the Elizabeth Hartman/"Barbara Darling" character in Coppola's 1966 debut "You're a Big Boy Now," which also features a girl infatuated with a guy who is infatuated with a weird, artsy "dream girl," who takes him for a ride. The scene where Sylvia, dressed in red is singing that ridiculous show tune in that absurdly cute style is another minor female comedy gem. There are very few strong, funny characters for women to play these days (Jennifer Jason Leigh in "Hudsucker Proxy" was a throwback to the Screwball Comedies of the 1930s, of course). So, even though this is an uneven first effort, it is unmistakably the work of an original comedic mind, an auteur whose films can be recogized in under 2 minutes. Fear, Anxiety & Depression is the real deal in rough form. Much of the annoying stuff is very much intended to be so and is part of a style that was forming itself into what became "Dollhouse" and "Happiness."