Elenore Makes Love

I wouldn't say this was soft-core porn because the sex scenes aren't quite graphic enough for that, but the movie (if 51 minutes really constitutes a movie) has done a remarkable job of not feeling sexy. It is filmed in black and white with a few candid scenes shot by Elenore or the photographer on their phones in color.

It starts off with Elenore meeting the photographer...ten minutes later they're married for no discernible reason. Ten minutes after that they're separated, again for no discernible reason except the photographer says "I guess you were just too wild for me." Elenore is the one who dumped the photographer, just to be clear, which this movie is not ever.

Their entire discussion of how you can only fall in love three times in your lifetime makes no sense, since Elenore has apparently been in love at least twice yet she says it's only once...implying that she was never in love with her ex-wife or that she's currently not in love with the woman she moved in with afterwards, which can't be true because she tells the photographer "I'm in love with her." Yet Elenore and the photographer are back together and end up having sex again even though they've separated and Elenore is "in love" with another woman.

If you think I've confused you, wait until you see the movie! Plus we never see the other woman that Elenore fell in love with, only the married man that she's cheating with. And his involvement makes Elenore bisexual. And Elenore is cheating on the woman that she cheated on her marriage with. Unless this man is actually the one who Elenore is cheating on her marriage with? But she clearly said, "I'm in love with her" to the photographer, so she's cheating with another woman, not a man. And I've confused you again. Yeah, me too.

Basically, this is a train wreck of a plot and utterly without logic or reason. It gets an extra star for having some decent cinematography and a naturalistic atmosphere. But more than almost any movie I've seen, this belongs at the bottom of any "must see" list.

I do think this movie deserves greater acclaim than reviews here indicate. The photography and feel is wonderfully graceful. It's a slow-paced film, about 90% is in black and white, and the music contributes very well to its ambiance. I think if you approach it simply planning to revel in this world of a female photographer in New York City taken by a female model, you will certainly be satisfied. The movie starts out in the photographer's point of view, but as it progresses, this point of view is sometimes shifted to the model's. The color segments are a bit confusing as far as when they occur in the story line. I would recommend just going with it anyway. Inspiring work.