★★★☆☆
Katie Colosimo makes her directorial debut with Genevieve’s Garden, a dramatic comedy that captures a satirical look at modern life in your twenties.
Along with directing, Colosimo also penned the script, which follows Lilly, a woman who, after being dumped and laid off, finds herself at a rising influencer’s wellness retreat after stumbling across a video ad online.
While I’m not sure of the intention behind the characters or the narrative as a whole, the film comes off as satire, offering an insightful and humorous glimpse into the modern “adult” by showcasing how the internet, social media, and the ways we make and form connections have become distorted.
“An insightful and humorous glimpse into the modern ‘adult.’”
The film’s characters are a perfect example of the evolution of a satirical society. Genevieve’s character is the person Regina George would have become.
She’s self-absorbed in the most basic sense. We see it from the beginning when, asked if she lives at the retreat, she says, “No, my aunt got it in her third divorce.”
This offers the notion that she’s been given everything and is out of touch with reality, although she’s less self-destructive than Regina George’s character.
Lilly is someone who feels isolated and alone in a world where instantaneous connection is theoretically possible, even though the reality is that it’s pulled people further apart.
The various characters at the retreat are very animated and represent different stereotypes of modern personalities. While individually they offer comedic moments, as a whole, they don’t mesh very well.
Directorial debuts are especially interesting because you get a raw sense of a filmmaker’s vision. Colosimo’s direction is raw, honest, and plentiful, but lacks the restraint needed to rein in the film’s narrative.
“Colosimo’s direction is raw, honest, and plentiful.”
Colosimo has a clear idea of the narrative she wants to tell, but the execution is where the film’s weakness lies. The first act feels overly long, with the introduction of Lilly’s character being prolonged, hindering the pacing.
All while offering some good moments and memorable shots. I particularly liked the sequence of the chips falling off the bed and the cut to her eating them off the floor. A sequence that offers insight into the character while also showcasing a glimpse of what tighter editing could have done for the film’s pacing and tone.
It’s one example of a fraction of the film where we see experimentation and a change in approach that offers a different result from the same narrative.
Jacob Mallin’s cinematography is crisp, tight, and well-framed, setting a tone within itself. It offers a polished crispness that provides a smooth and straightforward presentation of the characters and narrative.
The score by Jonathon Franco, while polished in one sense, also hovers on the line between genuine and interchangeable, taking away any sense of individuality.
The performances are good, with the entire cast doing a good job of finding the balance between satire and overly exaggerated performances. This allows the characters to come across as genuine and satirical rather than overly chewy.
“Colosimo has a clear idea of the narrative she wants to tell.”
While the film has its moments, I feel as if there is a lot of potential, and I’m looking forward to what Katie Colosimo does next.
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