PLOT: A woman finds herself trapped in a remote hotel where the violent echoes of her past come alive, blurring the lines between her darkest nightmares and the waking world.
REVIEW: You just never know what to expect when the children of famous actors start getting into the film world themselves. Sometimes it’s a disaster, and other times they blossom into great filmmakers of their own. Hailing from Julie Pacino (yes, it’s the daughter of Al Pacino), there’s sure to be a certain spotlight on her finally stepping into the world of feature film. And rather than play it safe, she’s decided to enter the world of surrealist horror. On the surface, it’s a subgenre without answers and more up for interpretation, but it requires a firm vision to pull it off. I Live Here Now rides the line and ultimately is able to accomplish what it’s trying to do.
I Live Here Now is a tough movie to discuss without just explaining the whole arc. And, like any surrealist film, it can be quite difficult to discuss in terms of the overall themes and purpose. As much as some stuff is very much on the nose, there’s also plenty that goes for the more abstract. It’s never so out of reach that it feels inaccessible, but it’s still certainly going to limit the audience. But if you’re into the strange and unusual, chances are you’re going to be on board for this brand of weirdness.
I do get a bit tired when anything that’s going for a surreal narrative gets called Lynchian. If you’re trying to be something, chances are: you aren’t Lynchian. He had an effortlessness and such a unique point of view that it’s hard to even replicate. It’s why his loss was such a massive chasm in the filmmaking world. But what I Live Here Now IS, is a surreal tale of a woman getting pregnant, and contending with the difficulties of her past. The motel that she takes refuge in is a mixture of a fever dream and the Red Room from Twin Peaks.
Lucy Fry is really wonderful as Rose, the woman at the center of the story. She’s contending with the pregnancy after years of thinking she was infertile. There’s a lot of internal struggle that she has to get across, and she manages to do so effortlessly. She really carries the film. Sarah Rich is the film’s other standout performance, and she really makes the most of her limited screentime. I was also surprised at how good Matt Rife was as her pathetic baby daddy. His dynamic with Sheryl Lee as his mother is truly disturbing. I felt like that could have been explored a bit further, especially with Lee’s excellent performance.
It’s impressive what Pacino is able to accomplish on a relatively small budget, creating a dream-like world that takes advantage of its great performances at the center. There were times when I was pulled out of the world a bit, but I think that can be smoothed out with experience. As it stands, I Live Here Now isn’t going to be for everyone, as it can get quite weird. But the kind of out-there visuals and narrative that doesn’t hold your hand certainly appealed to me.
I LIVE HERE NOW IS CURRENTLY PLAYING AT FANTASIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL.
