Ryan McNeil
As a whimsical score echoes from the soundtrack, HIS & HERS begins with a shot of a newborn infant girl. As it happens, she’s the only woman out of the seventy we meet in the next eighty minutes who doesn’t say a word. Pity – I imagine she has a lot on her mind.
The film moves on to present woman after woman, getting subsequently older from shot to shot. They tell us about all sorts of life details. Everything from the small annoyances of crap their men like to watch on TV to major life lessons like learning to drive a tractor at sixty-plus years old.
HIS & HERS is a very moving look at everyday women. They enlighten us with their everyday philosophies, and move us simply by being themselves. The camera hangs back and lets these women “be”. In so doing, ordinary actions like taking off a wedding ring to do dishes, or pulling a chair to reach something high are somehow given an extraordinary elegance.
Every major life detail is mentioned over the course of seventy minutes. Boyfriends, husbands, children, grandchildren, parents, pets, weddings, births, and deaths. There is a lyrical rhythm to the way these stories are strung together to tell one long story, as if a choir of singers who’d never met all found themselves singing the same song.
In this truly charming movie, the women we meet endear themselves not just with the tales they tell, but how they tell them. The strength of these women comes through in their passion and humour, reminding the audience of the mothers, wives, daughters, and girlfriends we love so much.
Note: For more reaction to HIS & HERS, please take a listen to my podcast conversation with director Ken Wardrop.
HIS & HERS plays again on Sunday May 9th – 4:30pm at Isabel Bader.
Hey Hatter,
I'm hosting the My Best Post blog-a-thon.
It goes from May 21st-23rd. Want to be a part of it?
It's pretty easy. You've already written your entry.
Just send me a link to your best/favorite/underrated blog post! Thanks!
http://he-shot-cyrus.blogspot.com/2010/04/big-announcement-revealed.html
Also, I loved this movie. I had no idea what it was about when I came into the screening but after a couple minutes, it made sense and then I just went on the trip with it. Loved it.
Interesting take on the film, but I think it's fair to say that it marks major details in the specific womens lives, as they relate to important men in their life. It only focuses on the men in their lives, and their relationships with them.
There are other major things that happen in life outside of that, although that's not the focus of the film.
This sounds like a cool concept, but I'm not sure after 30 or 40 minutes I wouldn't get bored of it :\. May give this one a shot, we'll see.
@ Elgringo… I knew precious little about it myself, but after about ten minutes I was hooked. Did you write anything about it? I'd love to read your post if you did one.
As for the Post-a-Thon, count me in!
@ Shannon… I've re-read your comment about six times, and still find myself unclear. Did you not care for the film?…Is that a criticism of it?? Gimme a little more here…
@ Univarn… No, you don't get bored of it. That's what makes it work so well and elevate itself above 'Gimmick Filmmaking' status. If you ever have the chance, track it down (likewise, give my conversation with the filmmaker a listen!).
Oh, I loved the film! I was noting that your review indicated that every major life detail is mentioned, and I was pointing out that there are major life details not present in the film. All the stories are from women talking about men in their lives, but there are certainly major life details in women's lives that don't involve the men in their lives.
More a comment on the review, not the film. I hope that is clearer.