NEW YORK -- ''My Father Is Coming'' is nothing to get too excited about. It is an off-beat attempt to make an off-beat film, but it tries so hard to get off the beaten path that it goes nowhere.
German filmmaker Monika Treut's questionable homage to New York City, particularly the East Village, is fun in parts, slow in others and ambiguous overall.
Still, its forced hipness and the fact that it's a ''different'' kind of film may appeal to the art-house crowd. The inclusion of porn star Annie Sprinkle and her massive mammaries may lure some unsuspecting lustful viewers, though this is no porn flick.
What it is is an outsider's depiction of the downtown Manhattan scene, and a myopic view of the apparently never-ending sexual revolution. If only there were a real story to go along with this . . .
The film revolves around Vicky (Shelley Kastner), an actress and waitress who seems distressed that her father, Hans Alfred Edel), is coming from Germany to pay her a visit. When he does arrive we can see why.
Hans is a stuffy, prudish, opinionated man who criticizes Vicky's entire existence. For this reason Vicky forces her gay roommate, Ben David Bronstein), to pretend to be her husband. (It's not a very convincing performance.)
Accompanying Vicky on one of her auditions, Hans is outraged to discover it is for a porn film. He changes his tune, however, when the film's star Annie Sprinkle) ingratiates herself by going to the bathroom in front of him. A minute later Hans lands himself a job in a commercial, much to Vicky's envy and chagrin.
The rest of the film is a disjointed series of encounters, sexual and otherwise, with a lesbian, a male transsexual, drag queens, a body piercing guru and some unusual people as well.
It's all supposed to be a mind-opening journey for both father and daughter, but someone definitely loses the map along the way.
Sometimes using non-actors gives a film a natural quality, but in this case all it adds is bad acting. Kastner as Vicky, the would-be actress, is the only one who truly passes the audition. Not that there is much call in this film for any real acting, but Kastner is the only credible element to be found. This is her film debut, and she demonstrates a raw sensuality that holds promise for future performances.
''My Father Is Coming'' is not an unpleasant film, except for the unwatchably gross scene with the pierced Fakir Musafar. There are several lines of dialogue and an occasional visual that make us laugh or at least smile. It's just that much of what appears in this film seems to have been randomly placed for no discernible reason. A film doesn't always have to make sense, but if it goes that route then it should at least be distracting enough so you won't mind.
MY FATHER IS COMING
Tara Releasing/Hyena Films
Director-producer Monika Treut
Writers Monika Treut, Bruce Benderson
Cinematographer Elfi Mikesch
Editor Steve Brown
Music David van Tieghem
Color
In English and German, with subtitles
Cast:
Hans Alfred Edel
Vicky Shelley Kastner
Annie Annie Sprinkle
Joe Michael Massee
Lisa Mary Lou Graulau
Ben David Bronstein
Running time -- 82 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
German filmmaker Monika Treut's questionable homage to New York City, particularly the East Village, is fun in parts, slow in others and ambiguous overall.
Still, its forced hipness and the fact that it's a ''different'' kind of film may appeal to the art-house crowd. The inclusion of porn star Annie Sprinkle and her massive mammaries may lure some unsuspecting lustful viewers, though this is no porn flick.
What it is is an outsider's depiction of the downtown Manhattan scene, and a myopic view of the apparently never-ending sexual revolution. If only there were a real story to go along with this . . .
The film revolves around Vicky (Shelley Kastner), an actress and waitress who seems distressed that her father, Hans Alfred Edel), is coming from Germany to pay her a visit. When he does arrive we can see why.
Hans is a stuffy, prudish, opinionated man who criticizes Vicky's entire existence. For this reason Vicky forces her gay roommate, Ben David Bronstein), to pretend to be her husband. (It's not a very convincing performance.)
Accompanying Vicky on one of her auditions, Hans is outraged to discover it is for a porn film. He changes his tune, however, when the film's star Annie Sprinkle) ingratiates herself by going to the bathroom in front of him. A minute later Hans lands himself a job in a commercial, much to Vicky's envy and chagrin.
The rest of the film is a disjointed series of encounters, sexual and otherwise, with a lesbian, a male transsexual, drag queens, a body piercing guru and some unusual people as well.
It's all supposed to be a mind-opening journey for both father and daughter, but someone definitely loses the map along the way.
Sometimes using non-actors gives a film a natural quality, but in this case all it adds is bad acting. Kastner as Vicky, the would-be actress, is the only one who truly passes the audition. Not that there is much call in this film for any real acting, but Kastner is the only credible element to be found. This is her film debut, and she demonstrates a raw sensuality that holds promise for future performances.
''My Father Is Coming'' is not an unpleasant film, except for the unwatchably gross scene with the pierced Fakir Musafar. There are several lines of dialogue and an occasional visual that make us laugh or at least smile. It's just that much of what appears in this film seems to have been randomly placed for no discernible reason. A film doesn't always have to make sense, but if it goes that route then it should at least be distracting enough so you won't mind.
MY FATHER IS COMING
Tara Releasing/Hyena Films
Director-producer Monika Treut
Writers Monika Treut, Bruce Benderson
Cinematographer Elfi Mikesch
Editor Steve Brown
Music David van Tieghem
Color
In English and German, with subtitles
Cast:
Hans Alfred Edel
Vicky Shelley Kastner
Annie Annie Sprinkle
Joe Michael Massee
Lisa Mary Lou Graulau
Ben David Bronstein
Running time -- 82 minutes
No MPAA rating
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 11/25/1992
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.