Desejos Femininos

The compulsive, neurotic, deranged and bi-sexual efficient and tough lawyer Evelyn Stephens (Tilda Swinton) is depending on an interview with the Governor to be appointed as a judge in the court of law. Her kleptomaniac sister Maddie Stephens (Amy Madigan) is finishing her PhD in UCLA. While waiting for her interview, Eve has a simultaneous affair with John (Clancy Brown) and the psychologist Renee (Karen Sillas), and helps her mean sister to leave the jail, arrested in a shoplifting.

"Female Perversions" is a weird movie with bizarre characters. The sad soundtrack and the photography are very beautiful and the interpretations of the cast are excellent. However, although being intriguing and provocative in some moments, the story never reaches a point and sometimes becomes boring. Further, although having naked women and many sex scenes, they are not erotic and does not excite, at least under the view of a man. I did not like this movie, but I recognize that it is a stylistic film with great performances. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Desejos Femininos" ("Female Desires")

Eve Stephens (Tilda Swinton) is a driven attorney about to become a judge. She uses her femininity to get what she wants and to rise to the top of her profession.

She has passions outside of work. She craves sexual satisfaction. Not emotional attachments mind you, but the satisfaction of satisfying sexual hunger. The difficulty in balancing the two is driving her mad, and makes for an excellent film about the role women play in the corporate world.

She is not satisfied with the executives in her firm; she also picks up Renee (Karen Sillas), a new psychiatrist in an elevator.

Her sister, Madelyn Stephens (Amy Madigan), fulfills her erotic desire by shoplifting. Eve is forced to deal with her problem to keep on track for the judgeship.

She also has problems dealing wither her replacement (Paulina Porizkova), who is considerably more attractive.

I am not sure about the fantasy sequences with what I guess to be an Earthwoman. There was enough interesting characters besides her sister - a woman who runs a bridal store (Laila Robins), a stripper (Frances Fisher) and an adolescent tomboy named Ed (Dale Shuger), who is into self-mutilation - that they could have kept it real.

A surprisingly compelling artsy-indie type movie. I usually dislike obtrusive direction, including weird fantasy sequences, but these worked quite well here. This appears to be a consciously feminist project, as the directing, writing, and producing credits are almost all female, as well as all of the important characters. The cast was full of incredible actresses. The point of view character is played masterfully by Tilda Swinton, who was intense but yet confused and damaged. Amy Madigan nailed her also damaged character. Other supporting actresses who are excellent in their parts, and beautiful to boot, include Laila Robins, Frances Fisher, Paulina Porizkova, and especially Karen Sillas. Definitely worth seeing.

While viewing FEMALE PERVERSIONS, I began to wonder if I was losing my mind. For whom was this film made? Who put up the money to make this film? FEMALE PERVERSIONS is pretentious piece of clap trap masquerading as something deep and meaningful. Woman have it rough competing in male dominated society and men are responsible for all of woman neurosis seems to be the message. Ho Hum! Where have we heard that before?

Just about every character in this film is angry, nasty, neurotic, and unpleasant, except for teenage "Tomgirl" named Ed, who is just a little mixed up. The scenes of Eve's dreams and hidden memories are down right laughable, like the kind of stuff found in some over indulgent student film. The film has not coherent plot, just a lot of incidents. And would somebody please explain the ending?

There are some people who praise this film because it deals with characters searching for their identity, but most of the characters come across as so self absorbed that they evoke no sympathy. The film puts an emphasis on getting in touch with ones "feelings." But when one constantly dwells on his/her feelings, its leads to selfishness and hedonism, a point the films makers seem not to be aware of.

"Female Perversions" is short on story and long on character as it peers into the life of an ambitious attorney (Swinton) who is far more confident in a courtroom than in her own insecure and sexually needy personal life. Apparently a sort of testament to the female condition, this flick by women about women surrounds Swinton with a conglomeration of neurotic females as it plods doggedly through a maze of peculiar behavior. On the upside, this deep character study offers some excellent performances as it explores its dark and aberrant landscape. On the downside, the film is a little over-the-top and glommed up with symbolism, dream sequences, and excursions into the surreal. Lacking in story, unpleasant in subject, and artsy-fartsy in execution, the common filmgoer may find this flick unsatisfying. However, for those into deep character studies and psychodramas, an interesting watch awaits. (B)