It is you who keeps me from losing my inspiration when I get tired of the endless stream of poorly thought-out romantic comedies, dizzyingly laughable action flicks and dreary/ineffective horror/thrillers being churned out these days.
Bless you from continuing to find new and inventive ways of telling me a unique story. Even if the story itself is not unique, thank you for making the effort to tell it in an uncommon way.
However, I do beg of you one thing...
Please do not forget that it is ok- perhaps even advisable- to actually end the story you're telling. You know, wrap it up. Resolve it. Give us something that doesn't leave us going "Huh?" For the second time in a week, I walked out of a really intriguing independent thriller feeling the need to rush home and see what all the good ol' folks on IMDB were message-board'ing about the ending.
And, listen, when your film is making me resort to the IMDB message boards, we've got a problem.
Martha Marcy May Marlene was the first of these films this week. A really gripping look at the life of a girl who returns to her estranged sister after escaping from a cult, this movie distorts the line between a character's perception of reality and true reality in a really effective and surprisingly non-vague way. The ending, however and without giving anything away, was one that I needed to go home and ponder. Not inherently a bad thing mind you, but I've just given your film between $10 and $20 depending on the theater and 2 hours of my time... I don't always need to spend another 30 minutes deciphering your finale. Despite my borderline psychotic obsession with you, I do indeed have other things to do with my time.
Take Shelter is the other film in question. Now... this one won't appeal to quite as many people. I actually struggled with it myself. It moves rather slowly at first, and the inevitable conclusion seems pretty obvious (or does it?). However, what this movies does have going for it are the crazy strong performances of Michael Shannon (who cranks out engaging performances after engaging performance) and Jessica Chastain (in a very difficult role of devoted yet befuddled housewife who never becomes redundant or annoying). Eventually, the tension that warrants this film's categorization as a "drama/suspense-thriller" picks up and by the end of it one doesn't care what the outcome is going to be- one just wants to get there. Again, however, despite the ending being leaving perhaps very little room for speculation- it still felt vague and too brief. After 2 hours of building to its climax, another 5 minutes would not have ticked me off. Rather the opposite- assuming it was done right.
(Fun film fact break: A young Michael Shannon, in his days before great roles in the above-mentioned film and being the only good thing about Revolutionary Road, can be seen as a googly-eyed, love-struck, engaged Wrestlemania fan in one of my favorite films Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. I know you've never noticed it before... and you're welcome.)
Anyway, maybe I'm too picky. I do not mind an ending that leaves something to be desired. However, as in every facet of filmmaking, having an ambiguous ending has to be earned. You have to justify it in such a way that makes the audience go "Yeah... that was the best ending you could have given." And with any small amount of luck, said ambiguous ending should create a debate between viewers. The classic western Shane for example has one such a conclusion: Is Shane dead? Seems obvious but there are still some wistful fans who want to believe he rode off into the sunset and recovered in true Shane fashion.
To make a long story short (too late), keep me guessing but don't confuse me. Unlike adding Tabasco to food, you can go too far in your delivery of artistic uncertainty.
In other words, don't be afraid to show me a little more leg.
Love,
Nathan
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