The Other Irene is a movie which lacks a driving premise and engages little. Here is a movie which presents more questions than answers - if any! Although loosely based on a true story, there is too much looseness and far too little elucidation of story here. Ultimately whatever is left of a "story" lacks fluidity & engagement - leaving the viewer caring little about any of the characters presented in it. If there is a story here, it crawls lackadaisically along upon a carpet of banality, which simply runs out when the credits roll. When the production credits roll, in other words, you are left thinking "huh!? So... what happened next then!? Why this? Why that!?" All the movie's loose ends and unresolved questions become deeply unsatisfying to the viewer, if, that is to say, the viewer is even engaged enough to be left wondering why etc?
Consider a story being told by an unimaginative professional third party to the events which unfolded, and then you will start to envision the problems this reviewer had with its screenplay.
This is quite definitely *not* a movie for persons who like their movies resolved and explained by their conclusions. For little is explained at all by the time the credits roll - which was ultimately quite irritating. It's as if the film was made *before* all the facts became apparent, and left at that. A mystery of sorts is thus loosely crafted - only to be treated as if what happened was all quite ordinary - "move along now please, there's nothing for you to see!" sums up the impression I had of this lacklustre movie, at its end. Most disappointing! Albeit, its production and direction were first rate: for that much, Gruzsniczki, its director must at least be commended. Nonetheless, the movie's screenplay was as pedestrian as it was disengaging, so I sincerely hope Gruzsniczki, from now on sticks solely to directing, and leaves the screenplay to another in his future movies. Sorry, but this is a 3/10... on a good day.
