Boring Babooska

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm seeing some films in the Hot Docs documentary film festival here in Toronto and today was my first film. What a disappointment! It was called Babooska and according to the description, was about the lives of members of a touring circus family. Since I'm working on a fictional character who performs some circus-like stunts, this was a definite pick for me. It wasn't a historical film or anything, it was a contmeporary Italian family doing this now, or recently. Unfortunately while rich in dramatic potential and power, it failed to deliver anything remotely interesting. The film's description said that the family's daily life is "far from the excitement and adventure that we, as children, imagined circus life to be. But it is these qualities that make Babooska so fascinating and profound. There is a quiet drama at play." Well it was far too quiet for me, and frustrating to see several potential dramatic angles completely ignored, and in favour of what? Yes, yet another scene of Babooska or her fire-eating mother setting out or putting away their trailer's shelves full of tacky knick-knacks. Riveting. Setting out the cacaphony of trinkets, putting away the cacaphony of trinkets. Over and over.

I'm all for behind-the-scenes investigative film-making, but watching them eat pasta and set up the tents offered very little insight into anything. The film promised to explore the family's feelings of isolation and alienation, but it really did not whatsoever. The most interesting moment for potential story was when, during a performance in some Italian village, Babooska's boyfriend Michele said "The skunk has escaped!" Now that has potential for dramatic action! How did the skunk escape? Where did it go? Did it spray an audience member? Did they get the skunk back? Sadly, none of this was followed up nor mentioned again.

Not only was the film flat and lazy, Babooska was not even the most interesting family member to focus on. We learned that she loves small dogs, and her little sister, and that she performs what looked to be a pretty pedestrian "hula hop" (sic) routine, but that's it. What about the quiet tattooed fire-eating mom? How did she injure her arm? What's the deal with the blustery loud clown father? Or the sexy younger pierced shaved-head sister? Or Babby's beligerent fight-picking boyfriend? They would have made better subjects, but Babooska was considered the pretty one, so they went for her. Yawn.

There were no insights into how the troupe perceived themselves or their lifestyle, and almost no footage of any of their onstage performances. One of the two directors was there to answer questions afterward, but I split. I was certainly not the only one.

Hopefully tomorrow's film, Wordplay, about competitive crossword puzzle fanatics, will be better. It probably won't be as good as the awesome Spellbound but I hope it tries.

Cheers.

BEING BORING by The Pet Shop Boys