Particles of Truth

In late June, I was fortunate enough to attend the IFP Los Angeles Film Festival. I saw many films at the festival, however only one film had promise, purpose and power. "Particles of Truth" is a cinematically poetic film, which delves into humanity's weakest yet most prevalent characteristics: self-doubt and insecurity. Rarely can a film simultaneously evoke opposing emotions of joy and depression. Nevertheless, "Particles of Truth" successfully masters this formula. Director and co-star, Jennifer Elster allowed me to search my inner self. The characters are so deep and personable; I truly felt a connection to each of their fears, flaws and hopes.

I highly recommend this film to anyone who is disgusted with Hollywood's phony and artificial portrayal of life. "Particles of Truth" is a real movie, with true characters and authentic resolution.

It's always the same, it's very rare, yet it resides in us all. To get at it we must dig deep, very deep. Kids think it's common, they see it every day on Playstation and Gameboy, yet that version of it is cheap and distorted. The real thing almost always brings teary eyes and that choking knot in your throat.

Our dreams and high aspirations are never reached without it. Those that have used it before, find it just as hard to muster the next time. It never gets easy. It can be seen in large groups, or in the complete isolation of the most inner sanctum. It can bring joy or sorrow, fame and fortune, or rack and ruin.

This wonderful movie is an example of it itself.

cour·age n

the ability to face danger, difficulty, uncertainty, or pain without being overcome by fear or being deflected from a chosen course of action

Ray Smart Wilton, CT

This film was given to me by a friend for two reasons: 1)she loves Gale Harold as a result of his role on "Queer as Folk" and 2)like the protagonist Lilli Black, I paint. Consequently, I wanted to like this movie, I tried to like this movie... but all I could get into was the soundtrack. I wish I could've read the music credits at the end; maybe I need a bigger TV.

The good news: There are threads of a good (movie) story that exist in this film. The camera work is great, the atmosphere compelling, the music evocative. Larry Pine and Leslie Lyles (as the Wileys, Gale Harold's parents) turn in the most honest performances. I was disappointed at the lack of depth in their storyline; there was a real start of something there.

The bad news is simple: this film tries. There is a very contrived quality that overshadows the whole film because the audience (at least this one) recognizes that the director is trying to get us to feel something. The story was full of meaning and angst, with a very unfulfilling explanation of its origins. The viewer is not allowed to come to any conclusions on their own because the whole of the movie is leading them from symbol to indicator to cliché; in short, everything people resent about bad poetry.

With all due respect, this film (for me) is a perfect argument for keeping directors on one side of the camera. Yes, it works for a select few to act and direct, but those individuals (usually) have a clear idea of who the film should be about, and foresight enough to let someone else be the star. Maybe the director made the film she set out to make. It's just possible, however, that a singular focus on directing the film would've revealed the movie's true strength: the characters who made the protagonists who they were, not the angst they forced on the world as a result. The last twenty years of pop culture have given us our fill of angst and blame, but that wounded family dynamic will hit home almost every time. It needs to be honest, though, or it turns into a poor excuse for a life-long tantrum. And nobody wants to watch a movie about that.

I have never been a great fan of indie movies, but Particals of Truth has changed that for me. This movie showed on so many levels, the many kinds of loneliness that are all around us. The theme of alienation was painful to watch and yet it brought the characters to me. I could feel that loneliness moving like hot lava from one character to the next. Jennifer is a great talent and I consider it a privilege to have her share her experiences in her writing and direction. Gale Harold took a character that could be considered too eccentric for a indie feature, and made him so human, I could have reached out and touched him. There is in me a part of every character in Particles of Truth. It doesn't get much better than this.

"Particles of Truth" is a one-woman, low budget indie which plays like one long string of trailer moments. Elsner sticks a couple of neurotic protags in front of us, asks us to care without good reason, and then proceeds to toss in anger, hate, self loathing, disgust, angst, woe, frustration, abuse, AIDS, yadayadayada, all of which all seem like excuses for drama rather than elements arising from the natural progression of a story. If you can't find something better than "Particles..." to watch, you're not trying. However, if you're an indie junkie, you may find value in this flick which did receive some positive comments from critics and all those folks who submitted comments to IMDB.com albeit suspiciously for this movie and this movie only. At this writing 64% of IMDB.com users scoring gave this film the absolute highest score, a ten, as they apparently would have us believe this film is better than "Citizen Cane" or "Gone With the Wind". Go figure. (C)