Bubble

Aroview: Steven Soderbergh's creepy, independent sojourn (made between OCEAN'S 12 and 13) casts an uneasy eye on a midwestern doll factory, where the unorthodox friendship between two assembly line workers is upset by the introduction of a young, attractive female third party.

Visually arresting, though perhaps less convincing as a psychological role-play, this is most absorbing as a meditation on the insulation and monotony of small town existence. Economical direction, a unique distribution history (the first in a series of films to be released in theatres, on DVD and cable TV simultaneously), and deliberately impassive performances from a cast of non-actors contribute to the film’s idiosyncrasy, a welcome return to experimental roots for its (of late) commercially-viable director.

NZ International Film Festival 2006

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