White Rabbit

Not too sure whether the character or the script writer was confused. it's looks like a comedy at first but it looks like the overall theme around mental health. cool visual but seriously i could not recommend this to anyone

Hm, yes the target audience for this one is going to be tight. But if the title fits you, or if you somehow associate with the character of the quintessential misunderstood artist on the verge of a nervous breakdown, then this will be a real treat.

We follow 2 weeks in the life of "Sophia" (Vivian Bang) who is a freelance performance artist in LA. Or as she explains to her mother, "I make things you can't sell." Over the course of 2 weeks we witness her professional crisis, relationship crisis, and an overall life crisis in a very quirky and personal way. Although imdb lists this as a comedy drama, don't expect any gags, punchlines and LOLs because it's not that kind of comedy. It's more like the comedy of real life where there's no laugh track to our disasters, but objectively looking at it, it's just strange enough to be funny.

The interesting angle is that Sophia is a 1st generation Korean American who is trying her hardest to spin a racial discussion even though none exists. For example, one of her routines is a dramatic monologue about the LA riots and the media's coverage of black-on-Korean violence. Yes, 15 years prior. As such, her audience (people in the park) react with a mix of lukewarm politeness and complete disregard.

As the story unfolds, we see a similar attitude she has in her relationships (fabricating drama that doesn't apply). And ultimately we realize that Sophia is the perfect personification of passion without direction, or perhaps "sound and fury signifying nothing". But we are instantly hooked, wondering if this girl will pull herself together or if it'll end in disaster.

I thought the acting was fantastic all around, with real world type dialogue (such as people talking over each other, or not necessarily finishing sentences) that gives this film a very personal and familiar flavor, as if we're hanging out with friends.

There aren't too many flicks like this, but I might group it alongside other quirky dramas like "Punch Drunk Love" or the obscure 2009 gem called "(untitled)".

After reading some user reviews, it appears people were expecting a full on comedy? A sweet ingénue? Perhaps they were misled by a trailer I did not watch?

Either way, this is an intimate slice of life type of film, where we follow our main character as she struggles to find her place as an artist and person, making authentic connections, and her lack of direction in her life. There's no narrative structure per se and that works well enough.

The lead actress had a magnetic presence which made me connect with the story. This might not be everyone's cup of tea but it certainly worked for me.

I know this isn't Vivian Bang's story, per se, but the director's notes at Sundance indicated that White Rabbit is heavily influenced by her life as an LA performance artist. I wish it was even more specifically her story, cause what we have here is, unfortunately, a film that unfolds in a very predictable fashion. A complaint I often level at "historical" films---why am I able to predict what's going to happen next in what should be a wildly unique tale? I shouldn't. The same applies here. Ms. Bang is undeniably talented but she deserves better. She will do better. She is far and away the best thing about this movie. Everything else seems hackneyed and familiar and bargain basement, even by indie standards. The rest of the cast seems like friends of the director or friends of Vivian or random people who were grabbed off the street. I didn't find that charming. I'm ready for a nuanced film about "the other" experience. The hammer to the head and the over-the-top obviousness of the oppression render the criticism toothless. It's a shame, cause the problem is real. Nothing new is illuminated here.

The lead actor clearly has talent, but everything else about this production screams amateur. Constant issues with focus, machine gun repetition of the word like, and woeful casting (are we really meant to believe he's her boyfriend?) places left this unwatchable. The first 5 minutes should really let us know what the protagonist has to overcome, but this fell short of even that. This was a thankfully shorter film that in essence amounted to watching a woman on her phone and go about her daily life. A filmed blog. The lead actor should go far, she has an abundance of talent, the soundtrack was also first rate but misplaced more often than not.