The Guitar

The storyline is engaging and thought provoking. There were moments where I felt inspired by the main character's plight.

However, throughout the movie, I could not help but feel irked by a number of the unoriginal and overused techniques the director employed to force the audience to feel something. For example: the slow, melodramatic montage scenes in which the main character twirls in the sunlight with a shawl wrapped around her; the scenes in which the main character, reflecting on her childhood,is shown as a 7 year old girl sitting sadly by herself on the stairs as she watches and hears her parents argue.

There was also a lack of honesty about the character. One example in which this lack of honesty manifested itself was in the 'heroin-chic' appearance that the main character took on as she rapidly accepted that she was going to die. This says more about the director and the director's 90's influence than it does about the actual character.

Either way, this movie is definitely worth a look just for the life lessons alone.

and i have to believe it was written in even less time.

the plot synopsis here at IMDb is good. i wish they'd shot that.

what we got instead was a 95 minute film wishing it could be seen as one of those inspirational and affirming movies about a woman who attempts to overcome everything ... with a guitar. that wish was apparently denied.

instead we end up with a 21-day film where they must've printed every first take; directed by someone disconnected from the subject ... and the characters ... and even simple threads of continuity ... and written by someone with no apparent expertise or sensitivity to the matter at hand. even the script's bones, even its structure is wonky. and the editor, i have to ask the editor what they were listening to when editing this film? the film's heartbeat ... its sense of rhythm is ... missing. for a film titled after a musical instrument with a character named Melody this pretty standard rhythm of editing idea seems a significant oversight.

i have to let the actors off the hook because they seem to offer shallow, thoughtless, stilted although perhaps rushed performances. i kept wishing it would get better as it went along. it just /had/ to, i thought, but it never did.

now i can only hope i saved you 95 minutes.

For fans of Saffron Burrows, it will be an enjoyable 90-minutes of your time. She does the best with what little material she has to work with and turns in a gutsy, raw performance. The first half-hour is especially strong as the camera focuses almost exclusively on Burrows as her character copes with the diagnosis of a terminal illness, losing her job and being dumped by her boyfriend… all on the same day.

This is a very small budget production and it shows. The 21-day shoot makes for a slightly rushed and rough finished product. The directing by Amy Redford is on par, or slightly better, for an indie film. The sound and lighting were all acceptable as the majority of the film takes place in a huge penthouse loft with ample sunlight during the day and candle light being effectively used in the evening. There isn't much in the way of a supporting cast as this is primarily a showcase for Burrows displaying how one person might cope given this horrible scenario.

Some people will openly criticize how the Melody Wilder character initially deals with her dire situation, but I had no problem with it. I rather enjoyed it, actually. If you like Burrows or the premise as stated in the plot summary, I recommend seeing this film.

However, I personally prefer "Henry Poole Is Here," also released in 2008, by the talented director Mark Pellington (Arlington Road, The Mothman Prophecies). It has a larger budget which is used wisely by casting some well known as well as virtually unknown actors, and possesses quality direction and superior production aspects. The camera work is especially good.

I rented this film because I wanted to see some nudity with class. I got that and more, from plot to acting to sound to cinematography.

Where would I rank this film? Certainly in the top 100, probably the top 50 I have ever seen and I've seen thousands of films. I have even written my own screenplay but it's far different from 'The Guitar.' I didn't want to see this film end. I actually predicted that Melody would join up with a rock band. At first, I wanted her to get really rich and famous, but eventually, I felt the film ended quite well.

My tastes in films is very bizarre and so was this film. My #1 film of all time is 'Montenegro,' an American/Swedish co-production. That may give the reader a perspective of my stance on movies.

I will look up Saffron Burrows filmography and possibly rent some of her works. She looks a lot like a woman I knew 25 years ago; very tall, nice behind and small-breasted with long, unruly hair.

I could go on but I'm finished gushing. Now, I will recommend the film to my son and his wife and others who I know will enjoy this production.

Great film all the locations were real downtown LES spots especially the Antique Shop "Billy's Antiques" and they used the real shop and owner Billy.Also the Everyothers are a great band.The music is very enjoyable not hokey. Paz de La Huerta's part is completely on the other end of the spectrum from Boardwalk Empire,Limits of Control and Enter the Void.Critics have said she can play only one type of role ..well they have not seen The Guitar.The film feels ice cold just like it is in January in New York City.I find the plot totally believable because people do weird things when they know that they are going to die.I know Amy Redford will follow the great tradition of film making.I hope she makes another one soon.