hyped garbage

Highly Overrated But Still Good

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Out of thousands of movies I remember, DOWNLOADING NANCY has the most blatant product placement by far. Cans of Pepsi Cola are visible in nearly half the scenes. Characters even ask each other, "Don't you want more Pepsi now?" Since Pepsi is used throughout this film as a metaphor for infamous "People's Temple" pope Jim Jones' lethal Kool-Aid (a registered smiley face trademark) concoction a few years back during his 900-person mass suicide stunt in South America (from which the ubiquitous expression "Don't drink the Kool-Aid," meaning 1)"don't be bamboozled," and 2)"hang in there" derives), a savvy viewer can only conclude that COCA COLA paid the entire budget of this movie. A word to the wise, then: if you don't want to barf during your next round of the "Pepsi taste test" due to the subliminal anti-Pepsi message of DOWNLOADING NANCY, then do NOT download this flick into your brain! On a related note, the actress playing the title character here is clearly anorectic, as anyone pausing the film at about the 57:05 mark will surely deduce. Please, someone, buy Maria Bello a REAL milkshake before she goes the way of Karen Carpenter.

Before renting Downloading Nancy, people should be aware that it is an extremely bleak, depressing film that follows the trajectories of an emotionally disturbed woman and the man she finds online to torture and murder her. This is not a thrill a minute suspense film for the Transformers crowd, or a film to brighten your day. It features semi- graphic depictions of sadomasochism, and explores the psyches of people suffering from severe emotional dysfunction.It is also one of the best films of the past two years, and has been unjustly neglected by film distributors, critics, and audiences.The film functions on a number of levels. On one hand, it explores the personality and life of Nancy, a woman unable to cope with the trauma of having been sexually abused as a child. We see her experiences with a therapist and with self-mutilation. However, it is also an indictment of a emotionally and physically sterile suburban existence, embodied by her dullard husband Albert. The film's sets and color scheme reflect this barrenness, with gray being the color of the day.Maria Bello's performance anchors the film, and should have been given an Oscar nomination. Although most of the praise has gone to Bello, it is also worth noting Jason Patric's performance as the sadomasochist she turns to for release.Although I believe this is a very good film, it is not perfect. Rufus Sewell's portrayal of Albert is overly broad, lacking real depth. Furthermore, the film's soundtrack is lacking, a very generic synthesizer score that may reflect the film's low budget.For comparison, look at David Cronenberg's Dead Ringers and the Vera Farmiga film Quid Pro Quo. As with these films, many people will hate it, but the thoughtful will love it.

The question is, Is this film worth watching? Of course it is, if for nothing else but to see Maria Bello's Indy Award nominated performance. Don't let the fact that it went straight to video dissuade you.It is not a pretty movie. Watching the effects of child sexual abuse never is. Watching someone engage in self-mutilation to mask the pain is, in a word, painful.Bello (A History of Violence, The Cooler) was, of course, perfect for the role. Rufus Sewell played the husband, who was more of an enigma. It was never clear whether he was just a jerk who was obsessed with golf, or if 15 years of marriage to Nancy (Bello) just wore him down.Nancy finds Louis (Jason Patric), someone on the Internet she wants to kill her. They end up having a relationship, if you want to call it that.In the end, I am not sure whether he kills her or whether she kills herself. It really doesn't matter. It was a dark, twisted film with very little music and washed out cinematography. It set the mood, but it is easy to see why this film would get no buyers at Sundance.People don't go to the movies to get more depressed, and this one will do just that.

It's hard to decide whether this is a failure or not. I finally came to the conclusion that it's not.Nancy has been sexually abused as a child. She lives in a completely cold and dead marriage. She cuts herself. Then, she gets into this pact with a stranger on the net. What follows is a carousel of destruction. But is it really destruction? It's a fantastic acting performance here by Maria Bello, Rufus Sewell and Jason Patric. It's like a documentary with pale colors, no sign of hope, no sign of healing. It's a movie about existentialism, but it balances on a thin line close the ridiculous. But director Johan Renck brings it all home and you can only feel the pain. Or is that really what you're supposed to feel?