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The Worst Film Ever

How sad is this?

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

This movie is absolutely perfect. It's raw, real, and shows how sexual abuse can affect the subconscious for a lifetime. As someone who was sexually abused at a young age, I recommend this movie to anyone who has gone through something similar. You won't regret it. The acting is superb, the writing and style of film works great for the theme. POWERFUL, MOVING, BREATHTAKINGLY PAINFUL.. This is one movie I will never forget.

When reviewing a film like "The Tale", I want to be careful in quantifying some of my statements. In an era in which women are much more empowered to tell their stories of abuse (sexual or otherwise) and confront their tormentors, movies like this are important to be made/seen. Even more unique/impressive is the fact that director & writer Jennifer Fox is actually telling her own story in this case. As such, despite the fact that I didn't find "The Tale" to perhaps be as gripping as I thought it could/should, I would never say it isn't important or made from a well-meaning place.For a basic plot summary, "The Tale" tells the story of Jennifer (Laura Dern), a videographer who out-of-the-blue is drawn back into her past where as a 13-year old (played by Isabelle Nelisse) she was sexually coerced/assaulted by her track and field coach Bill (Jason Ritter). All the while, her equestrian mentor Mrs. G (Elizabeth Debicki) sat back and let it happen, while mother Nettie (Laura Allen & Ellen Burstyn) never quite put all the pieces together until it was far too late. Now an adult, Jennifer must deal with those events in order to feel authentic in front of her classes of students.In terms of overall material and the emotion it contains, this is an excellent and heartbreaking film. It pulls absolutely no punches and really feels authentic (the costumes/sets of the 70s add realism). In short, the production value here is wonderful, as befitting a film with HBO backing.My main problem with "The Tale", however, is that I felt the narrative tricks it used to tell the story were at best confusing and at worse distracting from the overall emotion of the piece. There are times where grown-up Jennifer will converse with young-Jennie, as well as other cross-time interactions that obviously aren't actually happening but are portrayed as Jennifer's inter-ruminations. Instead of deepening the emotion for me, what this ended up doing was confusing what the overall take-home message of the film was supposed to be. I really struggled to get much past "it was a horrible/wrong thing to have happen" even though I know Fox is hinting at more deeper themes.One standout of the whole thing, though, is Dern absolutely acting her heart out in every scene she is in. None of my narrative confusion can be pinned on the acting in this one, as I found it to be really solid and, in Dern's case, spectacular. It's amazing to think that she has been working almost nonstop since Jurassic Park!So, overall I put "The Tale" at 6/10 stars, with the caveat that I think the importance of what is being conveyed throughout the film likely transcends how objectively "good" it actually ends up being.

Seen a review talking about movie being beautiful exploration into a subject that is all to often dealt with extremely heavy handily. That comment made me want to puke.There is so much child abuse now days and usually it is dealt with by a slap on the hand. This woman was having many issues mentally and she is the lucky one. Now days many children are murdered.I did enjoy the film it did keep my interest but also mad me sad and mad. Laura Dern did a great job acting in this film as did the rest of the actors.

The TaleA wide range of such genre features are created that focuses on the fragile aspects of the society, but only few of them gets it right on both - the cinematic and infomercial - the ways and maintains the perfect balance. It is visually beautiful with impressive camera work and cinematography that unfortunately isn't supported to that extent on technical aspects like background score and editing. There are few cringe worthy scenes; which is obvious considering the premise, that took lots of gut to pull it off on screen by the makers. The writing is strong, sharply accurate and ballsy that ups the ante and the energy of the cinema on screen as it doesn't flinch on visiting unexpected places and tell its own story. Jennifer Fox; has done a plausible work on writing the script but an even more tremendous job on executing such an eerie feature with such confidence. The character's perspective as it struggles on recollecting the occurred events is brilliantly depicted that proves not only the excellence on writing but the wittiness on the tricks and treats installed by the makers for the audience. The feature scores majestically on performance where everyone is giving their best especially Laura Dern who is a revelation in this masterpiece and is supported by a great cast like Elizabeth Debicki, Chelsea Alden and Jason Ritter. The structure of the plot isn't one's usual melodrama that spends its time on grieving and instead takes action through its own methodology and is delivered by some amazing heartfelt conversations. The Tale explores into a colony of black and white saints and segregates the bigger terms in the society and narrows it down to a much simpler and adequate point.