Beeswax (2009)

dir. and writ. Andrew Bujalski
feat. Tilly Hatcher, Maggie Hatcher, Alex Karpovsky

As a dutiful cinephile, I've tried on a couple mumblecore films, curious to see what the minimal hubbub is all about. Bujalski's earlier Mutual Appreciation had a nice slow burn to it, a quiet warmth that defied the almost aggressively grungy black and white cinematography. It also chose a small but sticky subject, the whiff of infidelity by a girlfriend with her beau's close friend. This near-sex experience has the appeal of awkward conversations, drama that can be visceral to the participants but not necessarily to viewers, a difficult complication to illustrate as it barely surfaces verbally and has no physical component. Bujalski commendably engages the viewer, supporting the story with the secondary plot of Alan's (Justin Rice) move to New York City to make it big with his band, a compelling and relatable period of transition that brings more meaning and grounding to the film.

Beeswax offers up another minor drama, this time depicting twin sisters with their own changes coming down the pike. Unfortunately, these changes are so small and unworthy of drama that all the awkward conversations and petty challenges ring false. Jeannie's (Tilly Hatcher) business problems feel overwrought and unjustified, her inability to deal with them a show of childish weakness forcing the question of how she possibly had the backbone and determination to start the business in the first place. Her sister, Lauren (Maggie Hatcher), feels real enough, but her indecision about whether to go have a real life in another country carries no weight. Perhaps the viewer is meant to be wowed by these real twin non-professional actresses, or take for granted the binding connection between twins that makes it hard for Lauren to leave. But instead one seems whiny and irritating and the other sweet but dull.

The bigger problem comes from the desperate push to seem "real." I don't buy that anyone (without notable mental disabilities) speaks so awkwardly and struggles this much to make connections. Sure, most movie dialogue is unrealistic, a deliberate choice to keep stories moving and chatter engaging. Here, instead of disposing of the script, it feels like a push in the other direction, as though the actors were directed to dumb it down, bury all intentions, hopes, and dreams as though not one clear thought ever spun through a character's head. The end result is the sensation that it would be just fine if this Beeswax were none of mine.