Larry Oliver Film Reviews

  When a film begins with the sounds of sexual pleasure, you generally expect everything else to go downhill. Shiva Baby , the debut feature of Toronto-born, New York-based writer-director Emma Seligman, doesn’t disappoint. Danielle (stand-up comedian and co-star of the short-lived sitcom, Call Your Mother , Rachel Sennott) is just bringing Max (Danny Deferrari) to orgasm with a ‘yeah, daddy,’ when her phone starts buzzing. Whether you would leave your phone on in such circumstances is a moot point, but in the 2020s, FOMO takes precedence over ‘oh, oh!’ Danielle’s mother, Debbie (Polly Draper) has called, asking if she’s coming to the funeral today. ‘You said you are, but your dad says you’re not.’ She complains about her husband, Joel (Fred Melamed) who is ‘ten months behind’. ‘He’s still at the gym so who knows if he’ll ever get there. Danielle – your father, useless.’ Draper’s delivery is punchy, cold but matter of fact. Debbie lives in a cloud of scepticism that she does not al...

  With movie theatres currently closed in both New York and California, it is a surprise, nay, a welcome token of faith, that any new Hollywood studio film is unveiled in cinemas. Credit to Sony Pictures for releasing the romantic comedy The Broken Hearts Gallery in many American states – and overseas territories – where cinemas have re-opened with protocols that require social distancing, unlike Republican Party rallies which do not - I guess Trump supporters think his saliva is holy water. This thoroughly mainstream film also boasts that rare credit ‘written and directed by’. Writers new to cinema – especially women – are not normally trusted by Hollywood to direct their own work. Journalist turned screenwriter Nora Ephron had to wait until after the success of When Harry Met Sally (director: Rob Reiner) before making her debut as director in 1992 with This Is My Life , which in turn led to the far more well-known Sleepless in Seattle . Like Ephron, Canadian-born, Los Angeles-...