Christine

"Christine" (2016 release; 115 min.) is a movie about the final days of TV news reporter Christine Chubbuck. As the movie opens, we see Christine conduct an imaginary interview with President Nixon, who is under fire for Watergate. It is the summer of 1974, and Christine is a reporter at a small TV station in Sarasota, FL. She is not happy with her role at the station (dreaming to be promoted to a bigger anchoring role), and not happy with her life in general (living with her mom, no romantic interest in her life, etc.). At this point, we are 15 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie, "based on true events" we are reminded at the beginning, is a stunning look at the downward spiral of a lonely but ambitious woman, who is determined to make it 'big' in the TV news business, yet seemingly can't catch a break. Director Antonio Campos does an excellent job, capturing the zeitgeist of the nation at that time, replicating the looks and feel of the summer of 1974 almost to perfection (including a bunch of radio hits from that era--now sounding pretty horrible). Even though Christine finds some outlets (volunteering at the local children's hospital), it isn't nearly enough to prevent the sad and horrifying ending. Since we all know going in how this is going to end, it makes for a pretty depressing experience, even though the movie itself is quite good. Rebecca Hall shines as Christine, and she carries the movie on her shoulders from start to finish, but equally outstanding is Tracy Lets as her boss Michael, the TV station's manager who keeps urging Christine to "just make your stories juicy" and "if it bleeds, it leads". Guess he never imagined Christine would take that to its ultimate conclusion...

"Christine" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Saturday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay, somewhat to my surprise. It looks like there is some interest out there to find out what drove this woman to do what she did. I don't know that I can recommend this movie all that strongly, since this is an utterly depressing viewing experience, but let me be clear that "Christine" is a well-made and well-acted movie for sure.

I hadn't really read anything about the plot of the film. I only heard the praise for Hall and so I decided to give it a go. A few minutes in and I realized what real-life event it was going to be about and it really soured my mood. It's just not a fun film to watch at all. I've read so much about the real life person that the whole thing was just a very depressing experience. It's hard for me o accurately judge the film as a whole but I can say that Rebecca Hall is devastatingly effective here. There are no false notes in her performance at all and I am tempted to say that it is one of the finest portrayals of depression I have ever seen in a film. She makes you absolutely feel her pain and her sorrow and it all becomes so powerful that it makes the whole thing even more grim. She should be getting all of the award nominations possible and the fact that she has flown so under the radar is absolutely criminal.

I have a confession to make. I saw this during the Halloween period and wanted to watch the classic horror movie Christine from 1983. Instead I saw this film and by serendipitous good luck came across a powerful and sad drama that made me cry (to confuse matters this drama is set in the late 70s and is filmed with a filter to make it feel authentic. When a possessed car did not turn up around 20 minutes in, I knew then it was a different film!)

This is a powerful film because it tackles depression and lost hope but does not dwell in the melancholy of the situation. The ending is tragic and it dawned on me that Christine Chubbuck death was probably the provenance for the story in Network which followed 2 years later.

Rebecca Hall is supported by a wealth of talent and the acting is excellent from everyone. It felt so real, like watching a fly on the wall drama.

I am glad I saw this film because it reminded me that people (and I include myself) may look OK on the outside, but they could be screaming in the inside. A lot of dramas avoid mental health and well being because in many quarters it is still considered to be taboo, but more films like this need to me made and watched.

The tragic story of a young, promising reporter struggling with depression.

For anyone reading this and suffering, you are not alone. Many people go through hard times in life and in their own heads. You MUST remember that circumstances and states of mind can change for the better and even quickly. Please don't make a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

Christine (2016/I) was directed by Antonio Campos. Rebecca Hall plays Christine Chubbuck, a TV reporter in Sarasota, Florida. This is a fictionalized biography of Ms. Chubbuck. If you check Wikipedia, you'll know that much of what we see actually happened.

Christine Chubbuck was a person with depression, or possibly bipolar illness. She was well educated and financially comfortable, but her interpersonal life was in shambles. In the film, her behavior was strange and sometimes bizarre. People keep asking her, "Are you OK?" She always assures them that she's OK, and they believe her. Even if they don't fully believe her, they have their own problems, and they move on to other matters.

Rebecca Hall is an excellent actor. She resembles Christine Chubbuck physically. (That's probably one of the reasons she got the part.) She makes us believe in Christine and her problems, which is no easy task. (People who don't have mental illness find it hard to fake.)

This is a difficult movie to watch, but I felt that the acting was strong, and the message was important. I wish the producers had rolled a statement before the credits saying, "If you, or someone you know, feels and acts like Christine, call this hotline."

We saw the movie at the excellent Little Theatre in Rochester NY. It will work very well on the small screen.