Trailing Off: "She's Funny That Way"

Left to right: Imogen Poots and Owen Wilson

Welcome to the weekly column Trailing Off in which I take a look at a trailer from the past week and analyze its potential. This will be done using an obnoxious amount of analyzing and personal thoughts on the cast and crew as well as expectations. Coming every Sunday (it's called Trailing Off for a reason), I will attempt to highlight films ranging from new blockbusters to lesser known indies and give them their due. Partially to spread awareness, I do believe that there is an art to the sell and will do my best to highlight why these trailers matter or don't with approval (trove) or disapproval (trash). So please stop by, recommend some trailers, and I will see you next time.

Trailer in Discussion

Directed By: Peter Bogdanovich

Written By: Peter Bogdanovich, Louise Stratton

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Lucy Punch, Imogen Poots

- Preamble -

Almost everyone who loves movies loves the 70's decade of films. There's so many masterpieces in the batch that it is impossible to really dismiss any of them. In fact, it has spawned a few legendary filmmakers who continue to churn out high quality work. However, it is unfortunate to state that Peter Bogdanovich falls into a later camp. It isn't that his films aren't as interesting or worth seeing since that decade, it's just that he is not as synonymous as he once was. True, he has done wonders for the film discussion forum with his own interviews with varying talents including John Ford and Orson Welles. However, there aren't too many people who could name his later day work. 

Which is why this particular trailer is an interesting one. Bogdanovich has a great legacy to his name just between his two films The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon. Both films embody something about American culture in its dated yet charming format that is both candid and vibrant with emotion. He wasn't the showiest of directors, but he knew how to tell a compelling story that was rich with content and made the image radiate. 

I will admit that I adore Paper Moon. It is a perfect movie to me. However, I cannot unfortunately recall too many films that he has done since. It is something that I have been meaning to do, but alas he hasn't captured me in the same way that others would. While I doubt that She's Funny That Way will be the perfect point to pick up things on, I do hope that it will serve as a reminder that this is a great filmmaker who deserves our attention. After all, William Freidkin had a comeback a few years ago with Killer Joe. Anything is possible.

- Dissection -

I want to make one note. The original name for the film was Squirrels to the Nuts. Now yes, that can be interpreted as a euphemism. While the new title is more generic, it makes the general project less of a tragedy to deal with. For starters, the whole thing has a 90's romantic comedy feel. There's a voice over and odd scrawling text to piece together scenes. Even the background music has too much enthusiasm for this picture. Nothing trusts the actual movie. That is the major problem with the movie. This is already making me feel hesitant about Bogdanovich's later work.

Let's then add in the general premise in which a director has his prostitute from a few nights back try out for a role in his production. If that isn't trashy enough, there's a jealousy angle with the therapist that is again overdramatic and results in a lot of familiar physical slapping and quirky jealousy. I wish that there was more to the trailer than that, but it ends without much of an interesting angle. At most, it gives off the impression that Owen Wilson has sex with a lot of prostitutes who end up becoming actresses. 

I could be wrong, but in terms of gender politics, this concept alone is very dated. I do feel like the film is shelved, or at least lacks a lot of self-awareness. Maybe it is that Jennifer Aniston gets lowest billing in an otherwise mediocre line-up. This isn't to dismiss the talent of Imogen Poots or Wilson. It's just that the cast overall is not billed in a way that will immediately grab audiences. That alone is a problematic moment in the trailer.

I will say upfront that I do not check out the trailers to these films before choosing them. I go based solely on interest and how much I feel like I can produce content for it. I was hoping that Bogdanovich would give me plenty more to write about besides making an indistinguishable romantic comedy that feels over two decades behind. For all I know, the film could be better than this. However, it doesn't look very hopeful because the trailer doesn't trust you to know what's going on despite a very basic premise. What a bummer it is to get to this and realize that the man behind Paper Moon produced something that wouldn't appeal to either the mainstream or the independent scene he helped to form.

- One Sentence Sell -

Owen Wilson sleeps with a lot of women in this throwback to 90's romantic comedies that hits all of those familiar beats.

- Trash or Trove -

TRASH

I cannot even figure out what went wrong. I was hoping for something halfway decent with this trailer. As someone who has liked Bogdanovich in the past, I feel like I was hoping for something more. At very least, this trailer makes me want to avoid the film more than even consider renting it one day. There's no definition or personality to it all, which is a shame.