Worth: $14.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Jeanette Maus, Corbin Reid, Elohim Nycalove, Ryan W. Garcia, Sara Amini
Intro:
Sensitively written, directed, and performed, the standout here is Jeanette Maus as Jane.
Indie film and the recent explosion in quality TV are interchangeable these days, with creatives such as Alan Ball, Lena Dunham and Barry Jenkins moving between the two because of the difficulty in financing mid-range feature films and the creative freedom and expansive nature of episodic series.
Writer/Director Kelly Walker’s feature debut My Fiona exists in a post-Transparent world, both in style and subject matter. Joey Soloway’s 2014 breakthrough series was as entertaining and ‘normal’ as it was taboo-smashing and ground-breaking, and not only has it inspired various TV shows to get the greenlight, it has also inspired indie filmmakers such as Walker, originally from Australia but who has been jobbing it as an actress in LA since the early 2000s.
My Fiona centres on Jane, whose best friend and business partner Fiona commits suicide; leaving behind young son Bailey and wife, Gemma. Initially stepping in to provide a mother figure for Bailey due to Gemma’s corporate job demands, thirtysomething Jane’s interpersonal relationships become increasingly complicated, in search of direction and connection in her life.
Sensitively written, directed, and performed, the standout here is Jeanette Maus as Jane. She anchors this twisty tale that explores modern sexuality mores in an entertaining and dramatic way. It’s hardly cinematic, but it rings true and provides a mirror to contemporary concerns, which has always been indie film’s strongest suit.
