Searching for Debra Winger [Import]

I salute Ms. Arquette for doing something original: piercing the facade of the successful actress stereotype and inducing a plethora of fascinating and accomplished women to speak openly about their life experiences. The film works well at a number of levels -- personally I am not AS interested in acting per se as I am in creativity in general, and there was ample interesting material on what it means to be creative, and on the tension between pursuing one's creativity and achieving balance in one's life. Beyond the creativity issue, there is the equally interesting question of how one should approach aging and what growing older means; it was an inspiration and a pleasure seeing so many women who are past their Hollywood "primes" talking about the pressures, but also the rewards, of aging. I suspect there are not many men who would enjoy this film, which is a shame because men face these issues too. But this film is a gold mine of material for women, and particularly female artists working in any medium. I also enjoyed the soundtrack. I only gave three stars because, notwithstanding the good concept and the excellent quality of some of the interviews, the film shifted focus a lot: one second we're hearing about how Hollywood only cares about sex appeal, the next we're hearing how hard it is for an actress to raise kids, the next we're hearing about the challenges of nurturing both an intimate relationship and a career, the next we're hearing about what it means to be an aging actress. And, actually, the nominal subject of the film, Debra Winger, raises a whole separate issue, which is why we even need the outward trappings of success to be "successful" in our lives and creative pursuits. Also, the camera work was pretty basic, and the editing of the piece as a "documentary" could have been much more imaginative. Other than using the scenes from "The Red Shoes," which was inspired, the film was almost nothing but talking heads. A few family photos would have been refreshing, for instance, when Ms. Arquette talked about her mother raising five creative kids and stifling her own creativity. Or some scenes from films in which some of the interviewees had starred. Or any little detail to enrich the film's texture. Although the comparison may be unfair, Michael Moore understands how to make a documentary visually riveting; just because a film is a "documentary" doesn't mean it should ignore the pursuit of "movie magic."

THE FILM starts with Rosanna Arquette questioning herself: "Cannot actresses balance between work and family? Especially after reaching 40?" Well, she says not exactly, but to the effect, and makes her intention very clear with a footage from Michael Powell film "The Red Shoes" (1948). The point is clear, and interesting if you watch the heroine's fate.

SO ROSANNA STARTs her journey, holding a hand-held camera, interviewing as many actresses as possible. Some of the interviewees are her good friends while some are probably encountered at the film festival in Cannes, and agreed to say a thing or two. The film comprises these footages until Rosanna goes to Debra Winger, who Rosanna says, retired from the profession. (But I am afraid that not all people share Rosanna's view that she actually 'retired.')

Now, let's face it. AS A DOCUMENTARY, "Searching for Debra Winger" is a big failure, being too disjointed and having no focus. After all, there are so many actresses out there now, and many opinions too, especially those about their professions, this case acting. It's diversity, which should be treated more carefully.

THE INTERVIEWEES include Patricia Arquette, Emmanuelle Beart, Katrin Cartlidge, Laura Dern, Jane Fonda, Teri Garr, Whoopi Goldberg, Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah, Salma Hayek, Holly Hunter, Dinae Lane, Kelly Lynch, Julianna Margulles, Chiara Mastroianni, Samantha Mathis, Frances McDormand, Catherine O'Hara, Julia Ormond, Gwyneth Paltrow, Martha Plimpton, Charlotte Rampling, Vanessa Redgrave, Theressa Russell, Meg Ryan, Ally Sheedy, Hilary Shephard-Turner, Sharon Stone, Tracy Ullman, JoBeth Williams, Debra Winger, Alfre Woodard, and Robin Wright Penn. I don't know why, but Roger Ebert pops up, saying very unique things about one Angelina Jolie film. (Come on, Roger, you must be kidding, right?)

SOME OF THE INTERVIEWEES are very inspired, giving us insights into the business with humor and charms. You see Frances McDormand, and you understand her good-natured personality instantly. Or look at Charlotte Rampling (who appears with Katrin Cartlidge), and how she dresses herself. She is gorgeous, as seen in "Under the Sand" and her fashion sense! And we miss late Katrin Cartlidge, who shows her amiable down-to-earth personality. What is regrettable is that the time alloted to them (or some others) are too short. Why did they decide to include Roger Ebert?

And if you say that actress's job gets harder after 40 (and I do not disagree), OK, where are those people? I mean, Streep, Weaver, Keaton, Close, Sarandon, and so on and on? On the UK side, how about Denti or Mirren? Or another Redgrave? On French side, how about Moreau or Deneuve? Rosanna must have approached to them, and if they declined interview, why did they? Because they think differently? Or just too busy? But if busy, Rossana's argument (about the profession) is no longer valid. I kept on thinking about it, and the idea certainly weakens the impact of the film's contents.

You might, moreover, still hate some of the interviewees, who give too strong opinions. SOme of them are not convincing, and some are downright irritating. At least Rosanna Arquette should be prasied for inducing them to be honest, and whether you like it or not, what they say before the camera is never boring.

The film is interesting to see regardless of the director's intentions, which gets blurred as the film goes on. Too many talks are gathered to support one coherent idea, but the interviews themselves are always fascinating.

The reviewer here says that Winger is special because she...'bows out during her prime.' Wrong! She sees no pictures in which women can act in their prime! During the entire film it is observed that as women age, of course they get better at their craft. But they cannot use these skills, because the thing that is prized above all in Hollywood in 'f*ck*bility.'