Janeane from Des Moines
| Janeane from Des Moines | |
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| File:Janeane from Des Moines poster.jpg Film poster | |
| Directed by | Grace Lee |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | Jane Edith Wilson |
| Cinematography | Jerry A. Henry |
| Edited by | Aldo Velasco |
| Music by | Ceiri Torjussen |
Production companies |
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Release date | |
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Janeane from Des Moines is a 2012 American political drama film directed by Grace Lee, written by Lee and Jane Edith Wilson, and starring Wilson as a conservative housewife who attends the 2012 Republican Party primary in Iowa. It mixes elements of mockumentary and real-life interviews with Republican politicians conducted in-character without their knowledge.
Plot
Cast
- Jane Edith Wilson as Janeane
- Michael Oosterom as Fred
- Melanie Merkovsky as Lissi
Interviews
Production
Lee and Wilson had previously collaborated on American Zombie. Wilson wanted to make a documentary about the Christian left, but Lee decided to make a film that blends documentary and narrative filmmaking techniques. The politicians and media were unaware that Janeane is a fictional character, and some media outlets reported on her story.[2]
Release
Janeane from Des Moines premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.[1] It had a limited release in October 2012.[2]
Reception
Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote, "Grace Lee's film can be billed (or dismissed) as a stunt, but it admirably refuses to go the predictable route of 'punking' the candidates for easy satire or cheap laughs."[3] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter called it a "toothless satire" that "fails to make any compelling points."[4] Daniel M. Gold of The New York Times wrote that Wilson has a "rare talent for staying in character". Gold identifies the major theme as "the immense gap between a desperate citizen and the politics she had hoped might help her."[5] Claude Peck of the Star Tribune rated it 2.5/4 stars and wrote, "This cinema demi-verité is a fascinating, discomfiting hybrid of real candidates and a fake constituent, but director Grace Lee's own politics and tactics are something of a muddle."[6] Nick McCarthy of Slant Magazine rated it 1.5/4 stars and wrote, "Yet another entry in the canon of pandering pablum that audiences can expect in a presidential election year, Grace Lee's Janeane from Des Moines would be an intriguing depiction of personal and political disillusionment if its conceit wasn't so transparent and lopsided."[7] ION Cinema wrote, "What truly impresses is Wilson's ability to remain in character – she is more convincing than when Michael Moore walked hospital corridors in an actual health care doc Sicko, or what Sacha Baron Cohen and Joaquin Phoenix recently attempted."[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Punter, Jennie (2012-08-21). "Hanks, De Niro, Depp to walk Toronto red carpet". Variety. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Anderson, John (2012-09-30). "A Mockumentary Pulls In Real Players". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ↑ Harvey, Dennis (2012-09-09). "Review: 'Janeane From Des Moines'". Variety. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ↑ Scheck, Frank (2012-10-15). "Janeane From Des Moines: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ↑ Gold, Daniel M. (2012-10-11). "A Heartland Conservative? Not Really". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ↑ Peck, Claude (2012-11-02). "Movies in brief: "The Loneliest Planet"". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ↑ McCarthy, Nick (2012-09-29). "Janeane from Des Moines". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2014-10-05.
- ↑ Lavallee, Eric (2012-10-02). "Janeane from Des Moines | Review". Ion Cinema. Retrieved 2016-02-25.