Itty Bitty Titty Committee

Rarely have the ideas of social rebellion, political anarchism, and radical feminism reached such an uninspired status. Itty Bitty Titty Committee seems like a gay film for the self-conscious or the quiet homosexuals; a film that they can watch and release their inner-self, yelling at the screen and even going as far as personally siding with the character(s). However, due to its thin and uncertain nature, this film doesn't appear to have much of a thought as to what direction it wants to go in. Political commentary? Humanizing the feminists in general or the characters in the film? The idea of exercising the right of an opinion in a country that fears unpopular ones? These are all discarded while the film attempts to make up its mind.

The story concerns Anna (Melonie Diaz), a young woman working at a plastic surgery clinic and has just gone through a rough breakup. She is inhabiting a life of utter dullness, slogging through numerous patient appointments, and obtaining stress from her sister, whose wedding is right around the corner. When she meets Sadie (Nicole Vicius), a social activist responsible for the "C(i)A" (aka, "Clits in Action," if you couldn't make out the little text reference. The C(i)A works in giving the impressionable public a taste of the strength that women possess, yet are forced to repress in a male-dominated culture. They reject marriage, both gay and straight, defile public landmarks, and stage protests with strong, incorruptible messages feeding on power and deviance. Anna soon becomes consumed in this lifestyle, and her morals and ethics become flipped upside down as her obedient nature is turned into a smarmy, non-conformist personality-change that feeds on ego and narcissistic intentions.

There's nothing more disappointing than a film with an idea that results in a missed opportunity, and Itty Bitty Titty Committee is a grand one. Its idea could instantly brew a fiery sociological debate among pro-feminist and anti-feminist activists based on the content and issues it shows to its audience. Unfortunately, it gives us dull, archetypal anarchists whose motivations seem to not be because of global needs, but shallow personal ones. Our lead characters, mainly Sadie, seem less concerned with how others feel and more concerned about their well-being and personal needs.

Even the monologues delivered by the members of the C(i)A leave a lot to be desired. When we're dropped into a world foreign to our "normal" one in films, we'd like to be provided with a little backstory into the setting, time period, and philosophy of the characters. Consider Red State, Kevin Smith's film that focused on a devoutly religious family that committed atrocities against gays and non-believers. The leading male, Michael Parks, was given a roughly ten minute monologue expressing the motivations of his church in a shivering and unblinking shot. The dialog given to the audience here is disjointed, largely unmemorable, and those unaware of feminist goals or common tactics will not learn very much about them other than they are self-righteous, outcasts in society, and very concerned about how many site visits they'll receive. And they have a talent for swaying Anna with their tactics in only what seems to be a few days.

On the bright side of things, director Jamie Babbit (of But I'm a Cheerleader fame) continues to show promise in her career as a director, as do several of the actresses here, and the soundtrack and cinematography were the two primary things keeping me alert and in-tune with the film. Yet the lack of an introduction on feminism itself, the repetitive state of events, the senseless and absurd ending, and the emptiness of any deeper meaning, Itty Bitty Titty Committee quickly spirals down to the level of forgettable obscurity I'm almost certain it was trying to avoid.

Starring: Melonie Diaz, Nicole Vicius, and Melanie Mayron. Directed by: Jamie Babbit.

Wickedly talented director Jamie Babbit once again has her finger on the pulse of queer culture with this wry romantic comedy in which anarchic punk twenty-somethings vivaciously vandalize patriarchal symbols under the name of the C(I)A (Clits in Action). Fresh out of high school, mundane lesbian Anna has no direction or motivation. Having recently broken up with her girlfriend, she is the maid of honor at her picture perfect sister's wedding and works a monotonous job at a plastic surgery clinic. It's not until she meets foxy Sadie as she's spray painting empowering statements on Anna's office window that she wakes up and finds a purpose. Intrigued, she follows Sadie down a seedy back alley to her guerrilla girls' headquarters and meets the other members—angst-laden artist Meat, brainchild Shulasmith and ally transman Aggie. Even though these rebels are a bit slapdash, their down-with-the-man attitude and infectious style has the precocious baby-dyke fired up and joining the fight! As the estrogen flows during a crucial road trip, frolicking friends and alluring glances ignite a steamy romance between Anna and Sadie that could upset the delicate order of the C(I)A. Set to the inspiring riot grrl music of Sleater-Kinney, Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, Itty Bitty Titty Committee isn't your traditional feminist film: instead, it's an ode to grrl power for the gender-bending queer punk generation.

This film was a lot of fun! As passionate and serious as these anti-male-dominated-society grrls tried to be, they tended not to stray too far from reality and didn't take themselves too seriously. There were lots of hard laughs for me, starting with the name C(I)A and ending with the take-over of the Marcy Maloney TV set! In addition to all the fun and laughter, I also enjoyed the themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and purpose. 10 stars!

this film, which I saw in San Fran and then twice in LA knocked my socks off. Jamie Babbit needs an Oscar....this is fun, factual, funny and for god's sake a really good love story. I think that anna and sadie are sexy and really real as chicks who dig chicks....daniela sea has never been better and guin turner is funny. BUT THE BEST Part is the story. Good old fashion love story set against the funny group of hot chicks trying to change the world. This is so true and real it hurts. It is funny and the best lesbian film I have ever seen. I have seen a lot of them. Cheerleader is really good but this one is so much better. I don't know what film some of you gals are talking about here..only thing I can think is your uptight and then this film is not for you. BEST LESBIAN FILM EVER!!!!!

I was waiting the whole film for someone to put these annoying teens in their place or for them to realize how cringey they are, but no. What did the poor mother and sister do to deserve such behaviour? The point that the movie was trying to make was that it´s ok to be rude to someone just because you don´t agree with them?? The poor woman who came in for a consultation to have her breasts enlarged - I honestly expected her to be a breast cancer survivor and for the protagonist to be ashamed at how she treated her, but no. This movie is why I cannot stand behind modern feminism or LGBT activism.

As far as the movie itself goes, the music is annoying, the shots of them being crazy are too jumpy and hard to follow and characters are just not consistant.

I rarely get this upset after watching a movie. It´s very bad.

I could really like a movie like this, if the characters and their attitudes weren't so utterly unlikable! The nicest person in the film is probably the receptionist the lead character works with- and she ends up being thoroughly disrespected and walked all over by the rude lead character that viewers are meant to root for. I'm sorry, but no! And anyone who would want to be friends with that grouchy gang she aligned herself with is a real problem-child, for sure. It's like if they didn't have something to be mad about all the time, they would lose their reason for living! They just looked for things to fight about!

Good music, bad movie (and the way this film showcases such a butchered and obscene version of Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" is bad taste at its finest)! There were elements I enjoyed about it, but overall- supreme YUCK!