Comedy

Drama

Showing Up

filmscience

United States of America

English

Michelle Williams

Hong Chau

Maryann Plunkett

John Magaro

André 3000

Amanda Plummer

Matt Malloy

Heather Lawless

James LeGros

Denzel Rodriguez

Eudora Peterson

Judd Hirsch

Todd-o-Phonic Todd

Lauren Lakis

Jean-Luc Boucherot

Ted Rooney

Ben Coonley

Chase Hawkins

Izabel Mar

William Rihel III

Bahni Turpin

Dustin Clark

Holly Osborne

Ethan Benarroch

Hanna Caldwell

Kevin-Michael Moore

Theo Taplitz

Mia Bonilla

Sam Kamerman

Libby Werbel

Nova Kopp

Margaret Rodini

Orianna Milne

Mike D Harris

Cody Burns

Kristina Haddad

Victoria E. Henry

Kennedy Morris

Dvonte Robinson

Teal Sherer

Rowan Vik

Anthony Gasparro

Morgan Muta

Christopher Blauvelt

Amy Beth Silver

April Napier

Lisa Ward

Kameron Gates

Louise Lovegrove

Gayle Keller

Ryan Lloyd

Kyle Wallace

Lisa Caryl-Vukas

Cody Curtin

Sara Beko

Mike Vukas

Becca Letourneau

Blake Hawes

Brady J. Condit

Taylor Lawson

Rodrigo Melgarejo

Savey Cathey

Inman Young

Shaun Brennan

Kyle Casey

Madeline Little

Michelle Damis

Kale Heily

Brett Roberts

James A. Smith

Jason Dinges

Jeanise Herrell

Michael Diallo

Megan Ho

Brady Romberg

Bruce Lawson

Keaton Suskie

Elizsabeth Vander Houwen

Connor Nagy

Roni Pillischer

Bryan Fletchall

T.G. Firestone

Tyler Tronson

Mike Neal

Ryan Collison

Lex Damis

Sean Goller

Eric Macey

Adrian Seery

Jahn Sood

Ben Mercer

Leslie Bloome

Lillian Hennings

Kody Harvard

Josh Pino

Patrick Servais

Brenden McBrayer

Philip A. Anderson

Adam Rosko

Donald Scott Masterson

Dan Maughiman

Cameron Carey

Lexi Morsch

Hunter Hamilton

Lorena Lomeli Moreno

Erika Suchecki

Aaliyah Gray

Jeff Rowles

Amber Poer

Nick Seaman

Lane Clark

Sierra Bay Robinson

Desera Silva Frentress

Michelle Perkowski

James Farro

Charlotte Newsom

Bailey Thabit

Dawn Sutter Madell

Morgan Raymond

Danica Sheean

Josh Millman

Kelly Reichardt

Daniel Timmons

Tony Volante

Chris Connolly

Jade Olson

Becky Glupczynski

Mark Sean Haynes

Simon Max Hill

Ethan Rose

Michael Rivera

Stacie Thomas

Matt Lask

Steven Weisman

Kiya Entwisle

Christian Dolan

Brent Marchant

When I come across a film that’s the cinematic equivalent of witnessing the emperor’s nakedness, I feel compelled to shout it from the rooftops, something I would readily do with regard to this latest comedy-drama from director Kelly Reichardt. This plodding, insular, minimalist, frequently inscrutable offering tells the “story” (if it can even be called that) of a Portland ceramic sculpture artist (Michelle Williams) struggling to create her works for an upcoming gallery show when faced with the distracting burdens of mundane domestic crises and incendiary but largely unexplained family issues. However, little happens here, and the narrative is more of a showcase for the movie’s artwork than a vehicle with a definable plot, a problem further enhanced by a lack of any meaningful back story and solid character development (I guess that what they mean by “nuanced”). Indeed, one can tell when a release like this is truly in trouble when its most interesting and best defined characters are a housecat and an injured pigeon. The picture’s feeble attempts at humor nearly always fall flat, too, most of which are drier than dust (there’s subtle and then there’s inconsequential). It really troubles me when I see a seriously undercooked production like this undeservedly becoming widely acclaimed with over-inflated accolades. I’ve found this also to be the case with many of this filmmaker’s other works, but “Showing Up” represents a new low in her filmography. Not even the award-winning ensemble cast, with the likes of Williams, Hong Chau, Judd Hirsch, Amanda Plummer and Maryann Plunkett – the picture’s only noteworthy asset – can save this one from its own inherent failings. Experimental cinema is one thing, but unfocused, pointless, stream of consciousness filmmaking is something else entirely.

CinemaSerf

Try as I might,I just don't get Michelle Williams' style of rather moody and laconic delivery. She just always underwhelms me, and here is no different. This time she is "Lizzy" whose cat has an altercation with a pigeon which she chucks out of the door only for it to be rescued by her neighbour/landlord "Jo" (Hong Chau). Now she seems much more concerned about this rat with wings than she does with her lodger's frustrating lack of hot water. Anyway, pretty soon the pair are sharing the task of helping it recover the use of it's wing whilst "Lizzy" gets to grips with a forthcoming exhibition of her sculptures. That's the first ten minutes, thereafter we head down a more familiar dramatic route with a bit of a (quite entertaining) disaster then some family baggage to be dealt with along the way. For me, the undoubted star of this overlong and slightly repetitive story is the bird. It appears much more savvy of the unfolding narrative and appreciative of the path it was going to undoubtedly take than either of the lead actors. It's decently put together this, but the whole thing seems to lack much point or purpose. It suffers from a distinct lack of realism or relevance and though it's never boring, it is pretty humourless and has little memorable enough to merit recommending a cinema viewing.

SHOWING UP wins the ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards

Best Movies

Showing Up

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Michelle Williams

Hong Chau

Maryann Plunkett

John Magaro

André 3000

Amanda Plummer

Matt Malloy

Heather Lawless

James LeGros

Denzel Rodriguez

Box office

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