X
- 2007
- R
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
- 2007
- R
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
Summary Writer-director Hal Hartley returns to the characters from "Henry Fool," following Fay, a single mom from Queens who is afraid her 14 year old son will grow up to be like his father, Henry, who has been missing for years. (Magnolia Pictures)
Directed By: Hal Hartley
Written By: Hal Hartley
- 2007
- R
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
- 2007
- R
- Magnolia Pictures
- 1 h 58 m
Fay Grim
52
6.9
Where to Watch
Summary Writer-director Hal Hartley returns to the characters from "Henry Fool," following Fay, a single mom from Queens who is afraid her 14 year old son will grow up to be like his father, Henry, who has been missing for years. (Magnolia Pictures)
Directed By: Hal Hartley
Written By: Hal Hartley
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 26 Critic Reviews
52
42% Positive
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
58% Mixed
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 26 Critic Reviews
52
42% Positive
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
58% Mixed
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Plotwise, the film seems actually designed to repel logic, almost a parody of a spy film. But it's played with such verve and dash and confident flair that you'll have a grand time.
There's no other woman acting today that even remotely resembles Parker Posey. For that matter, there's never been anyone quite like her that I can think of. She has the dynamite improvisational instincts of a born grifter who wandered too far from one con and ended up in another – acting – and her tricky-risky game of onscreen three-card monte is, again and again, a jewel in indie filmmaking's oft-tattered crown.
While Fay Grim is too uneven to win Hartley many converts, it is laced with enough intelligence and wit to remind longtime fans why they were drawn to his unique vision in the first place.
Sadly, there's a thin line between goofing irreverently on the maddeningly convoluted nature of spy thrillers and actually being a muddled mess, and Fay Grim crosses it constantly during its deadly second hour.
The involved backstory and Hartley's own generic music both prove burdensome; the main attraction is the cast's amusing way of handling Hartley's mannerist dialogue and conceits.
Fans of "Henry Fool" in particular, however, may dislike the complete disregard for the characters of the original film. But the most fervent of Hartley followers can praise the film as a brilliant deconstruction of the tacked-on cinematic sequel.
What happens, though, and what lures the film into disaster, is that Hartley lets slip his sense of humor (always his strongest asset) and begins to believe his own plot.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 User Ratings
6.9
50% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
40% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 User Ratings
6.9
50% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
40% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.
Production Company
HDNet Films,
Neon Productions,
Possible Films,
This Is That Productions,
Zero Fiction Film
Release Date May 18, 2007
Duration 1 h 58 m
Rating R
Tagline Featuring the continuing adventures of Henry Fool
Website
http://www.faygrimfilm.com/
Awards
Chlotrudis Awards
• 2 Nominations
RiverRun International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
