Monday, September 06, 2021
Annette
Standup comedian Henry (Adam Driver) falls for opera singer Ann (Marion Colliard). Simon Helberg plays their conductor friend. All is good until they have a baby Annette & then the story turns very dark. Did I️ mention this was a musical? Brothers Ron & Russell Mael of Sparks originally composed this music for their album but ended writing this screenplay. The film feels rather artistic & avant-garde with how it is beautifully shot. If you hate musicals, you’ll probably won’t like film. If your tastes lean more toward the weird, you might enjoy it. When baby Annette is first introduced, she is symbolically portrayed by a marionette. Yes, odd. However, there a great duet near the end where 5-year-old Devyn McDowell replaces the puppet form. It’s a basic plot about a troubled marriage, substance abuse, & some bad behavior set to song.
Alien gets it 1½ “haunting songs” stars out of 4.
