Christine (2016) Reviews

• A moving film about depression with a fantastic lead role

  paul_a_salt2016-11-24

  I'm going to write this review as if you had not heard the sensational and tragic story of Christine Chubbuck. If you are unfamiliar with Christine's story then I suggest you do not read into it before seeing this film. I shall reveal very little of it here. The story concerns the real life story of Christine Chubbuck, a reporter in Florida in the 1970s. As an opportunity opens up at a bigger news station, Christine finds herself attempting to adopt the station manager's sensationalist approach to the news. The film details her struggle with depression and it's impact on her personal life and work. The depression is seen as both the result and cause of Christine 's difficulty in connecting with others. Many characters throughout the film reach out to her only for her to pull away. The cyclical nature of depression is all too familiar but what's interesting here is that each character who reaches out to Christine is well meaning but insist on viewing her depression in their own way instead of actually speaking with Christine. At one point Christine screams "why is no one listening to me?!" and it's true. No one listens to Christine. Her mother is certain that she just needs a man. The anchor on her news show is certain she just needs therapy. Her friend at the station is certain that she just needs ice cream. Everyone is so quick to offer possible remedies and solutions that Christine is actually overlooked. This is exemplified in the "Yes, but" game as seen in the trailer for the film. In the game the speaker tells the listener their problems. The listener then suggests a solution to which the speaker replies "yes, but" and points out the issues with that solution. The idea may be to get to the heart of the speaker's problems or for them to simply run out of problems and start thinking about solutions but the effect is clear. The issues and concerns of the speaker are being dismissed, one by one. Often with just a few words. This portrayal of the isolating effects of depression is very affecting. We see Christine attempt to bury herself in work, buying a radio scanner to listen in on police frequencies in an attempt to find the gruesome story she needs to gain recognition. As we see her hunched over her notepad listening to two police officers brag about sexual conquests, we can see the cracks starting to appear. The entire film hinges on Rebecca Hall's ability to play a character who is simultaneously spiralling out of control and deeply sympathetic and fortunately she accomplishes this extremely well. She is magnetic to watch even as she shrinks into the backgrounds of the scenes in which Christine finds herself. Her awkwardness and frustration are told through tiny movements and gestures. The film takes some liberties with the real life of Christine Chubbuck. Some people on her life have been omitted and some incidents have been made to occur later than they actually did for dramatic effect. However if you walk into this film without knowing how Christine's story ended then I am sure you will be as shocked as the world was back in 1975 and hopefully you will reflect on how you personally react to depression, in yourself and others. If you're anything like me you will emerge from the cinema desperate to know more about this enigmatic and tragic young woman. The film is a very tense and uncomfortable slow burn with some surprisingly funny moments. Performances are excellent all round but this really is Hall's show and is an excellent showcase for her talents as a screen presence.

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• Not a simple review

  A_Different_Drummer2017-01-10

  Let's start with a truism. Simple reviews are for simple films. This is not a simple film. On the one hand, you have a drama based on a true story of a reporter in the 70s who had a nervous breakdown and ultimately self-destructed. Films with "known" endings are always a challenge because, you have to ask, what is there to hold the attention of the viewer if you already know what happens? Here we have an answer: to hold the attention, we have Rebecca Hall's best-ever performance of her already-solid career. Dressed down, no makeup, she not only disguises her natural beauty (clearly seen in other films she has starred in) but actually creates a character that simultaneously engages and horrifies the viewer at the same time. Her portrayal of real-life reporter Christine Chubbuck is not unlike one of those "suspense" films about a time-bomb that needs to be defused before it explodes and takes an entire building with it. The manic energy Hall builds is a show-stopper and one cannot avoid the prediction that this performance will be noticed, and honored, down the road. On an entirely different level, however, director Antonio Campos never misses an opportunity to paint this story against a broader canvas, a canvas that is as appropriate to the events of today -- this review written on the eve of the Trump inauguration -- as it was during the 70s, when incoming president Ford "pardoned" outgoing president Nixon. Campos achieves this by clever edits and inserts, the selection of a specific sound bite here, the choice of a special movie Chubbuck watches by herself there (for example, Christine on her free time chooses to watch Carnival of Souls 1962, a film about a heroine who goes quietly insane because she is not sure about who she actually is.) The fact is that the news media is no better today than it was then, and likely much worse. Years ago, MAD MAGAZINE did a satire on the NYT's motto "all the news that's fit to print," re-imagining it as "all the news that fits, we print." An argument can be made that the west's news services (90% of which are owned by only six corporations in 2017) are merely glorified ad agencies. At best, they are pushing endorphins. At worst (check out the 2016 scandal over the DNC) they are pushing ideas into people's heads that are partial and biased. If Ms. Chubbuck were alive today, one doubts if she would be any more pleased with the job she so desperately tried to perform. Highly recommended.

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• Utterly depressing movie is well-made and well-acted

  paul-allaer2016-11-13

  "Christine" (2016 release; 115 min.) is a movie about the final days of TV news reporter Christine Chubbuck. As the movie opens, we see Christine conduct an imaginary interview with President Nixon, who is under fire for Watergate. It is the summer of 1974, and Christine is a reporter at a small TV station in Sarasota, FL. She is not happy with her role at the station (dreaming to be promoted to a bigger anchoring role), and not happy with her life in general (living with her mom, no romantic interest in her life, etc.). At this point, we are 15 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out. Couple of comments: this movie, "based on true events" we are reminded at the beginning, is a stunning look at the downward spiral of a lonely but ambitious woman, who is determined to make it 'big' in the TV news business, yet seemingly can't catch a break. Director Antonio Campos does an excellent job, capturing the zeitgeist of the nation at that time, replicating the looks and feel of the summer of 1974 almost to perfection (including a bunch of radio hits from that era--now sounding pretty horrible). Even though Christine finds some outlets (volunteering at the local children's hospital), it isn't nearly enough to prevent the sad and horrifying ending. Since we all know going in how this is going to end, it makes for a pretty depressing experience, even though the movie itself is quite good. Rebecca Hall shines as Christine, and she carries the movie on her shoulders from start to finish, but equally outstanding is Tracy Lets as her boss Michael, the TV station's manager who keeps urging Christine to "just make your stories juicy" and "if it bleeds, it leads". Guess he never imagined Christine would take that to its ultimate conclusion... "Christine" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Saturday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay, somewhat to my surprise. It looks like there is some interest out there to find out what drove this woman to do what she did. I don't know that I can recommend this movie all that strongly, since this is an utterly depressing viewing experience, but let me be clear that "Christine" is a well-made and well-acted movie for sure.

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• Excellent

  lralbright12016-09-22

  Most people who have ever heard of Christine Chubbuck already know how her story ends; She's been attributed to glimpsing into the future of television journalism with her final statement, the story turning into a morbid urban legend in the over forty years since the incident occurred. I admit, the first time I heard the story almost ten years ago, it sounded so bizarre, I almost couldn't believe it. Christine sets out to humanize Christine Chubbuck, and elicit empathy from an audience that might already see her as someone who is monstrous. Yet, somehow, the movie accomplishes it's goal, giving her humanity that was lost in the headlines. Much of that credit is due to Rebecca Hall who transformed herself completely, throwing herself into the role so thoroughly that it's almost frightening. The first time we see Christine she is filming herself doing a mock interview, and then later on, we see Christine examining every little gesture, picking herself apart in order to remake herself into something better to gain that elusive feeling of perfection, yet no matter how many times she's assured by Jean Reed (Maria Dizzia), the only person at WZRB that could probably be considered a friend, there's still that look of dissatisfaction with herself etched on her face. It's been written that Christine Chubbuck used to give puppet shows to mentally challenged children so the screenwriter incorporated that into the film, but it's utilized as little glimpses of what she's thinking: 'Be Bold, Be Brave' she tells them, a fairly innocuous phrase, but for the viewer who knows what's to come later on, it has chilling connotations. The moment that made Christine Chubbuck famous is shown in all of it's brutal and devastating impact. The film even shows her mother watching as it all unfolds. I don't know if Christine Chubbuck's mother, Peg, was actually watching the day Christine did what she did, but the possibility of that actually occurring, is heartbreaking. It's a testament to the filmmakers that, though Christine can often come across as incredibly difficult and unlikable, the audience still has a great deal of empathy for her. Yes, she has fights with her boss about 'blood and guts' television, and her mother about the state of her life, but it's carefully contrasted with moments of quiet desperation, like the sequence when the head news anchor, George (Michael C. Hall), takes her to a transactional analysis meeting where they play a game of 'Yes, but…" and Christine slowly reveals the things that she feels make her life impossible to live. Overall, Christine is a portrait of a woman desperately trying to make something of herself but because of a chemical imbalance, she can't seem to sync with the people and world around her. Anchored by Rebecca Hall who gives an Oscar-worthy turn, Christine is also supported by an excellent supporting cast (Maria Dizzia and J. Smith Cameron in particular), strong direction and an incisive script. Highly recommended.

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• One word: no not Christine, but REBECCA!!! WOW!

  meeza2016-11-23

  The true story of Christine Chubbuck is not a happy one, but it is an important one. Her story is lensed out in Director Antonio Campos' bio flick "Christine" (no there is not a creepy red car in this one). Christine Chubbuck was a 1970's reporter in a Sarasota television station who infamously & sadly committed suicide in a live television news broadcast. Chubbuck's story inspired Peter Finch's character in Sidney Lumet 70's classic "Network". I do have to report that Rebecca Hall's performance as Christine is the best one I have seen on screen by a lead actress since Jessica Chastain's work in "Zero Dark Thirty". And if you disagree with me, I will be "mad as hell and will not take your disagreement anymore". All kidding aside, Rebecca Hall totally transformed herself into Christine Chubbuck, from her quirky mannerisms to her isolated depression; it was worth a million bucks to see and hopefully come Oscar nomination time, the Academy will be hailing Hall with a Best Actress Oscar nomination. I still have my Hall pass, so I will be speaking about another Hall; that would be Dexter himself, Michael C. Hall. He delivered quite admirably with his portrayal of the station's main television anchor George; who is semi-narcissistic but also semi-caring; like most anchors these days; hence Brian Williams; just kidding, just kidding this is not the "life of Brian". Also superb with supporting thespian contributions to "Christine" is Tracy Lett as the station manager Michael, and Maria Dizzia as Jean the station's camerawoman and also a Chubbuck confidante. Now, Campos does excel in orchestrating "Christine" but the mood of the film is very gloomy as also its look. But this was most of all Rebecca Hall's showcase, and one that should not be tuned out by the movie going public. Signing off. ***** Excellent

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