Exotica

Canadian director Atom Egoyan’s film Exotica has a pretty misleading title. Although a good amount of the film takes place in a strip joint, the film won’t satisfy the desires of someone looking to get off. For the most part, Exotica is a very depressing film that has not a single redeeming character. Mia Kirshner is the least flawed as a formal honor student turned lonely stripper. Elias Koteas (who played Casey Jones in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies) plays a asshole strip club DJ (former lover of Kirshner’s character). Add a gay criminal pet shop owner and a mentally disturbed middle aged widower (his daughter was also murdered among other things) and you get a film that would destroy any sexual ambitions you may have.

Exotica reminded me of a darker and more stylized film Robert Altman (has anyone realized he died?) may have directed. The editing also owes some credit to Nicholas Roeg (Man Who Fell To Earth, Bad Timing). But influences are unimportant as Exotica stands on its own as an original and quality film. Director Atom Egoyan, no doubt, has talent and I need to look further into his film lexicon. I guess David Cronenberg and Guy Maddin aren’t the only good directors to come out of Canada.

My only complaint with Exotica is its pretentiousness. Even the greatest works of cinema history let you know life isn’t 100% serious hellhole (i.e. Grand Illusion, 8 ½, Eraserhead). At no point in Exotica does anything become less than serious. Of course, its good to see very serious directors nowadays. We don’t need another Todd Phillips.

Mia Kirshner has a thing for older and pregnant women. She even gets turned on when touching the women’s stomach. I really hope that Egoyan doesn’t have a pregnant woman fetish. It was a conscious decision on his part to put this womb obssessed scene in the film. Although Kirshner’s dialog is small, her role and performance are crucial. She’s one I also plan to look out for in the future. She was quite the bitch in Party Monster.

Exotica is a dark film for those that enjoy well written, directed, and constructed cinema. It has something new to offer with each further viewing. Just don’t expect soft core pornography. You can find that on HBO.

-Ty E