Barely 30 seconds in, and I’m invested.
Cinematographers Marcell Rév & Arseni Khachaturan zero in on Lily-Rose Depp’s; character Jocelyn, just that perfect face initially-as she struggles to mimic what is being asked of her;
It’s reminiscent of a dissociative state-or does she know exactly what these people want from her?
“Should we be shooting with her hospital bracelet still on?”
“Mental illness is sexy.”
The flurry of comments from her handlers is revealing-oh she’s beautiful & troubled?
I already know this isn’t the whole story. Never is.
Coleman Spilde, A writer for whom I have a deep affinity not only because of our mutual love of Lohan’s I Know Who Killed Me but because he’s a damn good writer. Depicts the scene perfectly:
This excerpt is from Spilde’s piece in the Daily Beast:
“If you live in Sioux City, Iowa, you’re never going to meet a girl like Jocelyn,” Nikki says. “She’s not walking down the street, she didn’t go to your high school, she doesn’t work at the bar or the diner, and she did not marry your best friend. And if—on the off chance—she did, she is still never, ever going to fuck you. Unless she has some very, very serious mental problems.”
Her conclusion: “And that, right there, is why mental illness is sexy.”
This is why Sam Levinson’s work is compelling.
It relies on the spaces in between.
As a viewer, Levinson requires you to be discerning.
Take nothing at face value-you shouldn’t want to.
Emotionally charged moments that seem innocuous-almost throwaways; are brimming with complexity.
Oh, and our lovely protagonist-she smokes! Either by design or a happy coincidence- she is channeling a young Kate Moss.
(I realize that she is not her birth mother-cough, cough-sorry, I’m enjoying my mile-long cigarette while writing)
The internets (of course) does not care for what they consider a gratuitous vice.
How do I put it delicately;
LET PEOPLE ENJOY THEIR VICE OF CHOICE
As Nikki exquisitely stated in Episode 1:
More to come-Happy Friday
XOXO-ME