SummaryWriter-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
Fay Grim
Metascore
Mixed or Average
52
User score
Generally Favorable
6.5
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
42% Positive
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
58% Mixed
15 Reviews
15 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
83
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.
67
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.
63
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.
58
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.
50
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.
50
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.
40
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
45% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
36% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
18% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Dec 15, 2023
8
Hal Hartley is so underrated. His films are really extraordinary. There's just this wonderful beauty about the minimalism, the story. Hal Hartley has such a unique way of presenting his ideas. And the actors love it because they're in all his movies. It's a shame he did not get more exposure. But all of the range of films that he makes are really truly wonderful to watch. I'm going to be riding this saying review on all the movies because watching them is not just about one film. Because they all tell a story of his style. That's why I have a list of films, a folder of films based on directors because they are the real storytellers and have a style that is so amazing to present an idea. So watch all of his movies and enjoy the uniqueness. There will be some reviews that may be specific but just watch any of all films and have fun with them. They are really unique and beautiful.
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:
Awards
Chlotrudis Awards
• 2 Nominations
RiverRun International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
