Personal Velocity: Three Portraits [Region 2]

Amazon.com

Personal Velocity is actually three short digital films, a trio of superb character portraits: Delia (Kyra Sedgwick, Something to Talk About, Singles), a former bad girl who musters the will to leave her abusive husband; Greta (Parker Posey, Party Girl, Best in Show), a book editor who finds that success in her career leaves her dissatisfied with her unambitious husband; and Paula (Fairuza Balk, The Craft, Gas Food Lodging), a young woman whose narrow escape from a car accident makes her question her life. With small, deft touches, writer-director Rebecca Miller (Angela) reveals a lot of about who these women are and how they live. Miller's gift for compression turns these short stories into rich examinations of contemporary culture, finding humor as well as pathos in the choices these women face. All three actresses turn in outstanding performances, clearly delighted to embody such well-drawn characters. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

I've found me another wonderful segmented film........2007-04-12

I don't know why there are so many attempts at this sort of films: individual episodes that approach and overlap the same concept. Perhaps it is because it is easier to craft episodes with power rather than worry about an arc of 90 minutes or more.

But we do have them and some work amazingly well. This movie is the story of three woman, told in separate segments. Each of the characters has to some extent engaged in self-delusion as to who they really are as persons and each one finds herself in the midst of a major life crisis. As each character deals with their situation, they begin to find out who they really are as persons and to find a possible path to self liberation, happiness and fulfillment in their lives. Delia (Kyra Sedgwick) is an abused wife and mother, who finds personal liberation by finding the courage to finally leave her abusive husband, and then finds her personal dignity and power by rediscovering her sexuality. Greta (Parker Posey), is a wife and daughter, who has long suffered, first by being caught in the middle in a struggle between her powerful, ambitious father and her weaker, more fragile mother for her love and affection, then later in an act of rebellion against her father, ends up in a loving but passionless marriage in which she has suppressed all her own personal ambitions. An opportunity for success rekindles in her all her own passions and ambition, as she struggles to finally break free from the influence of her parents, to come to terms with her husband and marriage and to be who she really is as a person. Paula (Fairuza Balk) is a young woman, who finds herself pregnant and who after a terrible accident, in a state of shock starts out on a journey to try and escape and make sense of what is happening to her. An encounter with an abused runaway helps her refocus on her own plight and discover her own ability to care about others besides her self.

All the acting in the film is excellent, but Parker Posey as Greta really stands out. This is the first film that makes use of Parker's ability as an actress to convey emotion and internal conflict, without dialog, simply by the expression on her beautiful face, and it is absolutely stunning to watch. She turns Greta, who could have been very unsympathetic, into a character that one can care about. This is very intelligent and very complex film. One that makes the viewer think deeply. There are no tight, neatly wrapped up endings in this movie, you have no way of knowing if the characters have made the right choices in their lives. This makes it tough for audiences and critics to embrace this movie, but if you do look deeply at it, and think about it, you will come to appreciate and love it.

In their own direction, at their own speed.......2006-11-13

Each of the three stories of very different young women told in this film takes enough time to develop a character and show an arc of personal change that gives a sense of something significant having happened while still leaving the future open. The theme of personal development not only in a particular speed and direction, the "velocity" of the title, but also from a very particular place and in reaction to particular events, tie the stories together. In their way, the stories can be seen as a study of analogues to Newton's laws of motion in human life.

I agree with the other positive reviews. It's an unusual film, real, insightful, absorbing, raw, sophisticated but not pretentious, compelling, thought provoking. The film also looks unusual, incorporating some edgy photography, occasional freeze-frames and staccato editing of action and stills, but not so much as to become tedious or lose its freshness. The casting and direction are pitch perfect.

I see no reason men shouldn't appreciate this as much as women. The stories do require some degree of empathetic imagination for anyone who hasn't been like the characters. The main characters are portrayed, not judged, so those inclined to be judgmental may be frustrated. But for those who just want to see and understand, this is a rare opportunity.

Movie for Women But What A Movie!.......2006-02-03

*****
This is a rave review for an unusual movie. One of the previous reviewers said that the more she thought about the movie, the more she liked it. I feel the same way.

This is the story of three women at pivotal points of their lives. The three women are not linked except that the movie takes place at the same point in time for all of them. One woman is escaping a domestic violence situation from a man she loves. Another woman is very ambitious and sexual, trying to reconcile who she is with who she thinks she is supposed to be. The third woman is dealing with trauma and what she has made of her life. All three situations are thought-provoking and beautifully portrayed by the accomplished actresses in their roles.

I rented this movie, watched some of the Special Features, and then ordered it on Amazon. I truly loved this movie. I'm not sure how men might view this film; although some are reviewers, I have difficulty understanding how men might appreciate and empathize with the depth of this movie, which is exclusively from a female perspective. I think that most women will enjoy not only the depth of exploration of women's life situations, feelings, and complexity. I don't think that this film is appropriate in any way for children; I think children will find it dull and not understand its themes. In addition, there are adult situations (including abuse, masturbation, and violence) that make it inappropriate for children; none of these are gratuitous, however, and all contribute to make this movie as powerful as it is.

This is a haunting and beautiful movie for thinking and feeling women, and for those men that can appreciate powerful filmmaking even when it involves female themes.

At least 4 stars..........2006-02-02

This movie is really good. It's worth watching for the Kyra Sedgwick story alone, however, all three are very artistic, emotionally-stirring and thought-provoking. I don't know why some people gave this bad reviews but I definitely recommend it.

Ironic compelling drama.......2006-01-08

Three different women going through personal critical moments in their lives. Fantastic acting.
Delia tries to escape her abusive husband to later find herself doing what she has always liked: hooking up with guys. She hasn't become any better than she was, but she finds herself through liberation.
Greta, sublimely perfomed by Parker Posey is a young editor who has issues with her father. However, she ends up doing the same thing he did which is again pretty ironic.
Fairuza Balk plays a pregnant girl who has been in touch with death in many ways. She decides to go back to her prior life after visiting her mother upstate looking for an answer to her predicaments.
The three women try to change but in the end they stay the same.Except perhaps a little bit wiser.

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