The Straight Curved Line
Plot
The Straight Curved Line is a thought-provoking and introspective film that delves into the complexities of the human experience, specifically focusing on the themes of creativity, aging, forgiveness, and self-discovery. This collaboration between performance artist Chere Krakovsky and filmmaker Mark Ezovski results in a visually stunning and emotionally resonant exploration of the human condition. The film begins with Krakovsky, a middle-aged woman, addressing the audience directly, initiating a dialogue that sets the tone for the entire narrative. As she poignantly discusses her own experiences with aging, creativity, and personal growth, the viewer is immersed in a journey of self-discovery that echoes the film's central themes. Krakovsky takes on various roles within the narrative, sometimes playing herself, other times embodying the personas of artists, poets, and philosophers who have inspired her. This blurring of reality and fiction underscores the fragmentation and multiplicity of the human experience. The artist increasingly acknowledges her own vulnerabilities and the inevitable passage of time, revealing the tension between her creative vision and the encroaching constraints of aging. Throughout the film, Krakovsky's poetic monologues and spontaneous performances are juxtaposed with fragments of her past and present life, including archival footage of her artistic endeavors and conversations with close friends and family members. This meticulously crafted narrative suggests that the quest for self-discovery is often marked by an inherent instability, mirroring the inherent 'straight curved line' – a paradox that underscores the film's central premise. In a pivotal sequence, Krakovsky confronts her own guilt and shame for past regrets and unfulfilled aspirations. This highly personal dialogue is expertly interwoven with ephemeral displays of performance art, illustrating the ways in which individual experiences can often disintegrate into an overwhelming sense of chaos and uncertainty. The artist here allows herself to be fully vulnerable, freely immersing herself in an emotional turmoil that resonates deeply with the viewer. A pivotal narrative thread centers on Krakovsky's attempts to reconcile with her ailing mother, a bond that comes to represent the cyclical patterns of aging, impermanence, and legacy. Krakovsky navigates the intricate, emotional complexities inherent in establishing forgiveness, realizing that true healing requires confronting and embracing the darker aspects of human experience. One striking moment captures Krakovsky searching for lost paintings in her childhood home, a symbol of abandoning past security and understanding. This act of remembrance prompts Krakovsky to remember traumatic memories she had suppressed for years. A narrative thread that continues through out the film emphasizes how even in trying to 'grow up or be an artist', art loss can stand still. Many possible art pieces are lost forever either to time, theft, or to our fear that they are less than desired standards deemed beautiful. Krakovsky ultimately arrives at a profoundly poignant acceptance – the recognition that growth and self-understanding emerge from embracing our most painful memories and contradictions, rather than trying to transcend them. The film masterfully traverses the tensions between identity, time, and change, testifying to the indelible mark left by those experiences that continue to color and define us. The Straight Curved Line is, in its quiet, inquiring manner, a profound film – perhaps unassuming, but nonetheless riveting and haunting. It provides an introspective look into the realms of personal struggle and redemption through art that serves as both mirror and chronicle of the ever-transforming individual self.
Reviews
Charles
As one of Missy Elliott's few documentaries, it's hard to judge it as good or bad. As a documentary itself, it's not particularly outstanding, simply summarizing things that fans already know. It might be considered an introductory piece for newcomers. The passionate confession from the older male fan at the end is hilariously fervent!
Raelynn
It's a rare treat to see Barbara's friend in this film, even though the content isn't particularly substantial. Barbara Stanwyck is one of the few seemingly normal stars from Old Hollywood, perhaps because she wasn't entirely manufactured by the studio system.
Sadie
Appreciate Barbara's dedication as an actress, but admire her character and personality even more.
Owen
The lineup of talking heads is quite decent, featuring friends (lovers)/colleagues/researchers who had close ties with BS in real life, ensuring the credibility of their personal assessments of her. Ella Smith, the biographer highly regarded among fans, makes an appearance, which I believe is the only time she's been seen in a BS-related documentary. The content is fairly common and shallow, and the perspective is quite normal, without revealing anything that a fan wouldn't already know. The film only skims through her most famous works.
Diana
Praised by Capra as the most well-liked actor in Hollywood, yet Barbara Stanwyck has so few decent biographies! Even this one is less than an hour, but it excels in its detailed yet concise coverage, touching on all aspects of her life! It's a must-watch! The content is primarily firsthand interviews with people who worked with Barbara Stanwyck! If it weren't for her mother's accident and her father not abandoning the family, her life would have been much happier, right? It's infuriating that such a wonderful woman like Barbara Stanwyck was a victim of domestic violence by her first husband! One of her friends dissing Robert Taylor as just a "country boy" is hilarious! But Barbara loved Taylor deeply, and that relationship hurt her quite a bit. Seeing Barbara receiving...
