M.F.A.

Good ideas, sometimes bad and laughable execution, not realistic at all. A great performance save it from being an entirely bad film, but it's not very compelling either.

I love a good revenge story, and MFA hit the mark for me. The rape scene was certainly not an easy watch. It seemed real and felt right in the scene - I felt uncomfortable in the moment. The cinematography was beautiful throughout the film and it made me want to check out more of Kovalchik's work. I loved the tracking shot when Eastwood was walking thru the locker room to the showers. The whole movie was done really well. Eastwood's acting was great. I wish the ending was different and she was able to get away with what she was fighting for, but I get it. I definitely recommend this film!

PS - I thought it was creepy, especially for the theme of the movie for Collins Jr being the detective trying to bring Eastwood down. They are married in real life with over a 20 year age difference. I thought it was weird. But it's Hollywood for ya eh....

Noelle (Francesca Eastwood) is studying painting at a Californian college for her MFA. She is invited to a party by hunky classmate Luke. They make out but the sex turns rough. She tries to stop but is overpowered by him. Her neighbor Skye counsels letting it go as she had done with her own rape. Noelle decides to report to the school therapist but her questioning is accusatory. She joins a help group but the girls are ineffectual. She confronts Luke and accidentally kills him. She decides to turn into a vigilante. Police detective Kennedy (Clifton Collins Jr.) investigates.

Clint's daughter Francesca Eastwood is an interesting new actress. She hasn't broken through yet but she has the charisma to get noticed. She has a nice dark side and does damaged well. The writing is a little pedestrian but it generally works. More needs to be given to Clifton Collins Jr. His is the key for tension and drama but he isn't given the needed material. Generally, this is fine but it doesn't really push the envelope.

This movie would have to appease the internal fantasies of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of women victims of rape whose outcry for help and for justice has invariably been suppressed and unheard, only then to backfire causing further anguish due to the severe flaws in our judicial systems and society abroad, whereby all our faith is put in this system so that we can go about our day with a makeshift smile on our face whilst feeling what we believe to be 'secure'.

All opinions aside about 'law and order' and whether it's always 'just' or not since the topic is oddly controversial despite the evidence that it is not.. This movie was executed nicely (all pun intended). I applaud the rogue vigilante acted by Francesca Eastwood for her portrayal of a victim suffering and for her very believable no-bs approach to justice - a true warrior of truth in every sense of the term and every ounce of my blood boiled in her moments of contention in hopes that she survived and evades any kind of consequences.

Pulling these moments along was a compelling heart beat themed soundtrack with cleverly overlaid voice effects when the necessary that portrayed the inner psyche reflecting on itself. All sets where also compelling enough too, but obviously nothing too notably being just another university campus.

The big question that remains for me after viewing this film and to which I believe the jury to still be out on is: Is redemption possible? Since my father was a supposed rapist, or worse yet.. a pedophile, you can imagine my feelings toward this topic are strong, but strong enough to commit any acts like those in this film? maybe I am weak unlike our main character in this film, but I remain similarly f#%ked up regardless and I remain perplexed despite the allegation against him being lifted as to whether or not he still deserves a visit from real justice or has the time been and gone?

I read a few reviews before deciding to write this and what I read was they felt this movie was an attack on men in general and that in order to enjoy this movie you had to be a hardcore feminist. Well that's just nuts, as a male I for one liked this film. at one point after I read the reviews I tried to stop watching , I guess I felt that I had to support y gender since that is what they thought. But I just couldn't. There was something that pulled me into it. made me want to watch it all. The reviews that I have read that critic this movie in a negative way are not really critiquing the movie but how they side with the story being told. Saying the movie is bad because its unfair towards men is a weak critic about the movie itself and more of a view into what that person thinks about strong women to begin with. The movie itself is rather slowed paced but always kept me intrigue enough to want to sit and watch it all. Its not my typical type of movie , I am more of an action pact movie guy but every now and then I find myself captivated by a slow paced film such as this.