Fay Grim

Brilliantly conceived "sequel" to HENRY FOOL is an utter delight, using the same actors/characters in a completely fresh and different story (even audaciously re-writing the back story of one of the prominent players). Spoof (or is it?) of espionage thriller elements manages to be both very funny (with Goldblum's fast-talking(!!) CIA agent a highlight) as well as serving as an involving and exciting thriller; once again, Posey's unique oddball steals the film. Looking forward to Part 3!

Don't watch Fay Grim if you don't wanna see 1. Hartley totally running out of bullets 2. Elina Löwensohn getting old (yea I was thinking she'll be 90ies Ice Queen forever and ever). Hartley got an interesting idea, Simon Grim got arrested and while losing on sales as a poet has a scandal potential. His publisher calls Fae to publish Fool's rejected confessions to use the opportunity. So far, so good, rest is hell. By the way was Posey on dope while acting here? She looks so out of her body.

Whereas some of Hartley's earlier films might be about small problems, this one hides an international man of mystery ... with almost the entire cast of Henry Fool coming back to play even more madcap versions on a wider stage. The political humor was hilarious, but it seemed to fall into conventional tropes as it ended. I'm eager to see how this all wraps up.

Hartley's deadpan style makes it difficult to tell if this is a send-up of spy movies or not. I had pretty much decided "yes" when I saw an interview with the director that referred to it as "farcical". *whew!* (A lot of the things Jeff Goldblum says are SO dumb that I though it must be some opinion of government being expressed.) It's a great vehicle for Parker Posey, and it's wonderful to see Elina Löwensohn, but things really catch fire when Thomas Jay Ryan opens his mouth. He is amazing.

A "what if?" episode. All the indieness gets dialed up to annoyance, e.g. in-your-face text, camera angles, the sophisticated quick dialog (especially jarring coming from Urbaniak's introverted garbage man poet), Parker Posey's Mary Sue-ness (I really don't remember her character getting much education/work background to justify being so comfortable being a spy), and overly empathetic terrorists/spies. Everyone overdelivers their lines. Fav scenes: Parker's outfits, especially that long coat.

Viewed February 1, 2020. Bizarre. Hartley's refusal to settle or repeat himself leads his films down some strange paths.

Making Parker Posey's character the central focus was a good idea, she's always so brilliant. Starting in mundanity, the story quickly enters the whirlwind world of global espionage, with the viewer having little idea of whether they are supposed to be chuckling or gripping their seat edge. Many distinct locations and characters keep the pace high and the tone fresh. Hartley occasionally dabbles with editing techniques, but it's unmistakably his style, only more entertaining than previously.

Parker Posey is great in the title role. This movie is a lot different from the original "Henry Fool". It nice to see what has happened with these characters.

"Hartley miraculously manages to make a grandly entertaining (and relevant) movie that never seems as if it's being too cloying." - Jason Clark

The same awkward but enjoyable Hartley feel, with less brilliance. I had seen and loved Henry Fool. This is why on the one hand I quite enjoyed this one, while on the other I felt insulted. I enjoyed it like I would have enjoyed a spy movie version of Hamlet. Yet, I felt insulted, for the same reason I would have been insulted by a spy movie version of Hamlet: because it effectively made a joke out something I actually take seriously.

Seriously, how could a movie with Elina Löwensohn, Sibel Kekilli, and Parker Posey ever be bad?

Funny as hell, and I'd not seen "Henry Fool". But the ending sucked, unless they're going to finish it off. If not it deserves a 70, OW a 90 so I went with the average. Are we going to have to wait until 2016?

Rewatch. In the context of the trilogy a very "lost in the desert" second installment. Some Hartleys have grown on me but this one still eludes.

Very enjoyable, and quite a bit different than Henry Fool--in a good way. I think it helps these characters to be in a broader world, as they develop and act in sometimes surprising ways, yet are still reminiscent of themselves from the first film. The pacing and comic elements work especially well here.

Tries a bit too hard.

the henry fool universe is much broader than I had anticipated.

No one must understand that this movie is an extremely smart comedy poking fun at overdramatic thrillers. It is a great satire on bad films with a wonderful purposefully over-the-top performance from Parker. Most original film of 2006.

there was one thing I couldn't figure it out, was it kitsch or camp?

One of the few sequels to morph into a different genre even though a lot of the same characters return. Not as good as _Henry Fool_, but worth seeing all the same just for being so... well... endearingly weird as only Hartley films can be