Baghead explores the standard horror genre, and Mumblecore’s* brand of interaction. However, while a combination of horror and Mumblecore may co-exist within Baghead, they never truly blend.
The Duplass Brothers contributed to the Mumblecore movement with 2005’s The Puffy Chair, but they changed gears with their new film. While Baghead may not be as crowd-pleasing as their last effort it is elevated by discovering the limits of low budget “bedhead cinema” (a salute to independent film director John Cassavetes). The pleasure of watching Baghead comes from seeing the narrative appear to be constructed as if from improvisation. Baghead pokes fun at itself and other low budget productions by being about the process of making a low budget production.
In the film, a young group of wannabe filmmakers journey to a cabin in an attempt to write a feature film over a weekend and thereby launch their careers. While the outline may seem somewhat self-indulgent, the focus of Baghead takes form on the characters’ interplay and relationships, instead of the task of making of a movie. The characters are sidetracked before ever beginning what they deem to be their one great hope for fame. As anxiety builds in the film, it becomes clear that their fear of “Baghead” is a mask for their failure to act.
Greta Gerwig is a standout in Baghead and it is easy to see why Mumblecore filmmakers have used her so often. As a director herself she seems to understand the fine line between what the camera reads as believable and melodramatic. This is a slow picture, but it offers a new take on an old set of cliques. There is no doubt that this film is not for everyone and that it is also very flawed; however, it is nice to watch a film without the normal injection of outside sources. As the Duplass Brothers evolve it will be interesting to see how they react to being on the verge of mainstream success.
*According to Wikipedia, “Mumblecore is an American independent film movement that arose in the early 2000s.[1][2] It is primarily characterized by ultra-low budget production (often employing digital video cameras), focus on personal relationships between twenty-somethings, improvised scripts, and non-professional actors.”
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