Searching for Debra Winger

I actually just read about this documentary in Entertainment Weekly, so was surprised to see it on Showtime tonight. I was ready to slam it for being shallow, but was pleasantly surprised at its refreshing insights.

Rosanna Arquette directs this documentary about the role of women in Hollywood when they are no longer a starlet; the effects of age on the actress' career. What was most impressive about the documentary was the incredible number of actresses interviewed. From Sharon Stone to Martha Plimpton, Holly Hunter to Charlotte Rampling the many actresses (both fairly obscure and mainstream) express some interesting views without sounding like they are complaining about the `lack of strong roles for women' – a phrase that has become cliché. While I am not a fan of Salma Hayek in the least, she came across as very strong, voicing the need for female writers, directors, etc. (and backed up her word by doing that with Frida.)

Arquette's earthy style made the documentary flow very smoothly, and it was refreshing to see no pretensions. On many occasions, she very humbly expressed her adoration and respect for her subjects. She also put many of her interviewees together in groups which not only opened up the dialogue, but showed genuine camaraderie. Even Roger Ebert makes an appearance discussing how the movie going men tastes in movies have changed.

The one complaint I have is that I never really followed Arquette's vision. After listening to the amazing insights provided by actresses, I didn't see a clear correlation with the thesis.

Definitely worth a look, but definitely estrogen-laden so it may not be for all. But for someone who generally leans towards the `anti-Meg Ryan' films this was indeed interesting and thought provoking.

--Shelly

I just want to thank Rosanna Arquette for what was one of the most intriguing documentaries about Hollywood I've seen. Although I live in Los Angeles, I do not work in the film industry, and in general tend to feel as though we, the citizens of the Movie Capital of the World, are frequently over-inundated with media about actors and their films.

But SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER is different. Despite what the reader may feel about Hollywood, the actresses interviewed are some of the most influential performing artists of our era. Through Arquette, we get an opportunity to sit down and have a frank chat about their art, their insights, their ambivalence. The doc is not like a Barbara Walters interview: predictable and formatted and PR-mediated. Interviewed by Arquette, a fellow actress with similar sympathies, over little dinner parties, in restaurants, on lawn chairs -- even in the ladies room (a goofy, then serious Frances McDormand) -- the actresses managed to be more frank, more casual, unguarded with their opinions. Some seemed suspicious that the little documentary would ever be aired at all -- inadvertently freeing them up to be even more honest.

Famous for their beauty, their talent and their projects, you get to see that they are intelligent, clever, funny, angry, uptight, resentful, self-conscious, generous, insightful, even visionary in ways that are only hinted at in their films. The dialogue in SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER is all in the actresses own words: no scripts, no acting, no roles. Its an opportunity to see who they are, in all their brilliance, artistry, egotism and folly. Diane Lane is sharp as a tack. Alfre Woodard deeply reflective, eloquent and mature. My suspicion that Holly Hunter is a genius is confirmed. Theresa Russell cuts loose with quite a bit of rage. Whoopi Goldberg is the antidote to glamour-poisoning. Sharon Stone is at least as ballsy as her onscreen persona. Jane Fonda comes over as a wise and deeply generous doyenne. And Debra Winger is more compelling than she's been in any of her movie roles.

Perhaps the biggest revelation was Rosanna Arquette herself. She really puts herself out there, expressing her own insights, risking the exposure of her doubts, in a way that encourages the other actresses to feel comfortable, to open up, to speak frankly. Arquette gamely drops a lot of the pretensions of the industry to tell her story, and to get the other actresses to tell theirs, and as a result manages to reveal unexpected truths about the people behind the profession.

Because of all the big names, the documentary has star power, glamour, and charm in spades. But it has much more. With the lighting, hair and makeup aspect de-emphasized, one gets a glimpse of the real people underneath the monolithic illusion we know as Hollywood, and I found these people, these artists more fascinating than any scripted characters I've seen in quite some time. Underneath all the glittering surfaces, one discovers a deep, and untapped reservoir of artistic -- and human -- potential.

This film is a very intelligent and moving one, on a subject that is rarely discussed so freely between stars of the screen. Miss Arquette has done a great job, directing and participating in the film. It helps demystifying the work of actresses, their relationships and their everyday life. I think it is a very unique document for anyone who want s to start a career in acting, even if you're a man, one of the most touching scene, is when Jane Fonda talks about how many times she did feel or attained nirvana doing a character, the way she felt just before entering the set, and how she felt while she was actually entering in someone else's soul, absolutely breathtaking! Rosanna Arquette, you surprised me with that very inspiring movie, thank you so much!

Age is an actress worst nightmare, or so it appears to be the case that Rosanna Arquette explores in her interesting documentary "Searching for Debra Winger". In fact, most actresses working in movies seem to have a sort of "shelf life" while they are young and beautiful, then, after that, it's oblivion, at best.

As Martha Plimpton points out, most actors working in films have a lot more options than actresses. Jack Nicholson and others of his age group, still active, are the examples. For every Meryl Streep, there are a hundred Debra Wingers that could still be working in meaningful projects, yet, little work seems to come their way, unless they look toward movies made for television.

Rosanna Arquette has a sharp eye to delve into the subject and her choice of people she interviews for us is quite remarkable. Unfortunately, Hollywood always will make films for a younger audience. Maturity and acting abilities seem not to matter much in that factory of dreams.

I started out liking this film. Ms. Arquette was making some good points, talking to some very interesting actresses (Jane Fonda is a standout, as well as Debra Winger herself.) But this film could have easily been 20 minutes shorter--it just seemed to go on and on. In the end, when all of the actresses involved in the documentary are signing their names in lipstick on pieces of mirror (huh?), Rosanna is the very last one to do it. It just hit the point that this was such a vanity piece rather than a serious piece of filmmaking, which it really could have been, if someone else had directed it that is.