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Tart
A student will do anything to become part of the "in-crowd" at the exclusive school she attends in New York.
Release : | 2001 |
Rating : | 4.7 |
Studio : | Interlight, Green Moon Productions, |
Crew : | Production Design, Property Master, |
Cast : | Dominique Swain Brad Renfro Bijou Phillips Mischa Barton Alberta Watson |
Genre : | Drama Crime |
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it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
"Tart" is a good illustration of old the Yogi Berra saying: "If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up someplace else". Writer/Director Christina Waye (in her first feature) has managed to make a $3 Million movie that ends up someplace else. "Tart" is either a coming of age story devoid of characters that a rational person can connect with, a black comedy without any humor, or a sexploitation movie without anything that is particularly sexy.Unlike the standard Swain film, "Tart" actually employed a competent and experienced production designer. Good enough to provide two extremely nice shots: the scene of Swain and Barton taking a bubble bath together and the scene of Swain in the park-featuring a nice montage of the "Alice in Wonderland" sculpture. The symbolism incorporated into these elements supports the possibility that Waye (despite the absence of a linear logic or unity of tone) actually has some visionary talent and aspirations for making a quality film. It is even possible that Waye was trying for a fusion of the somewhat expressionistic "Metropolitan" and the camp classic "Cruel Intentions" which also deal with the Manhattan upper class. There are many camera shots framed by windows and doors yet few tight shots of faces and eyes. The former technique hinting at symbolism and the latter at intentional distancing from the characters and their motivations. "Tart" seemed on the verge of veering into camp territory at least twice and would have been well advised to keep going in that direction. First there was the scene where they try to dump the seemingly deceased Swain into the garbage chute. Then there is the whole bit about her father being Jewish (played to the same extreme as Joel Grey dancing with the Jewish guerrilla in "Cabaret"). In her other films Swain's acting technique is to overwhelm each scene in which she appears (insert scenery chewing here) but in "Tart" she actually shows an ability to restrain herself. This is the best performance of her career. It also provides some clues about her physical deterioration from willowy super cute in "Girl" to hulking lumpy-faced in "Pumpkin". This transformation was about half-complete by the time she made "Tart"; so go the ravages of time. Mischa Barton ("Sixth Sense's" I feel better girl) and Lacey Chabet are excellent in supporting roles. The rest of the cast is simply horrible, although some of the blame for this should go to Waye's script and direction.
SPOILERS!I gave this film 2 out of 10 for 2 scenes that I will never forget.....by the way, my husband rented this surprising non-blow 'em up almost chick looking flick...but I guessed why when I saw the cover....girls in school uniforms....duh....lol....ah well, men if ya can't beat 'em join 'em.....;-)Bijou Philips, one of my favorites on the indie screen...too cute......not only gets into bestiality (her toy dog is the best lesbian in town according to her bubbly outrageous character)..that would be the first worthwhile scene..Then she enters a restroom in a lovely gown & goes into a stall....after a bit she gets up, goes out to the party she & the pathetically sad 'Cat' character are at,& hands a shiny silver ice bucket to the host of the party...the host looks in her precious silver ice bucket and says, "oh my god it's poo."I love Bijou Phillips myself for her creativity and unusual movie choices, this would definitely be one of them....and um, I would rent it for the poo scene if I were you.....I am not a big poo jokes fan, but it definitely puts the 'party people' in their place (they didn't look like they were having a good time anyway.....lol)...You will never forget these two scenes...hmm, but is that what we want in our databanks?....Maybe you shouldn't follow my advice at all....lolDominique Swain is kind of squirrelly & sad in her confusing nonsensical role in 'Tart'. I don't know, I can't decide if I like her because she is so into indie films?? Indie films are awesome & all but couldn't she pick a few good ones? I am going to check out a few more of her movies and reserve judgment.... but this one was, (pardon the reference to beasts) a dog.....
This movie was dry to say the most. Frankly I don't believe Dominaque Swain is capable of taking control of an entire movie by herself. The only movie she seemed to come alive in was Lolita, but Jeremy Irons mostly stole the show on that one. I was hoping to see her mature into a better role in another movie, but this one isn't it. Frankly, I've seen better high school perfromances. I did, however, sit through the movie hoping along the way that I might be surprised, but it never happened. This is basically a story of bored rich kids and drugs and its influences on their friends/family/lives. And somehow, the writer slides in a murder into the story, which really didn't need to be added to substantiate the plot, of which I seem to fail to find anyways. But mostly, this movie is a waste of expensive film. I'm sure you'll never find it at your local movie rental store, and most probably will find it late night on HBO family channel instead. Dan Rydzewski
Spoiler i loved this movie, i taped it before i went to work, because i thought that i would watch something when i got home, seeing as how it sounded interesting. when i got back from work, i turned on the television and pushed play, and for the next hour and a half, i was blown away. i loved this move. it was incredible. i noticed how most of you seemed to think that it was quiet lame, but i fail to understand why. this movie is for everyone. it expresses the facet that we all as people go through changes, trying to find where we fit in and how our life is. i thought that this movie did a very good job of portraying that. i especially liked the fact that cat's best friend was murdered by her lover. she was so interested in having better friends, but then she realizes that she wants to be friends with delilah, and she cant, and now her lover is in jail for murdering her. you only want something when it's gone, and then it's too late.