Tabloid

Errol Morris has made some great documntaries, especially earlier in his career. In his later ones, like Fog of War and Fast Cheap & Out of Control, he has opted for a straight-up interview technique that can leave his movies feeling kind of incomplete and less enlightening than they would have been if he'd done some extra research and contexting. This is an excellent case in point. Joyce McKinney is a classic Morris subject -- a bizarre eccentric, apparently quite out of her mind, who has done some pretty amazingly wack things in her day. So far so good. But Morris just kind of presents her to us, lets her tell her story her way, and the movie ends leaving us with an awful lot of questions he could have cleared up if he'd done a more thorough job. We're never told what made her so crazy in the first place, or what parts of her story are true and what parts are self-delusional fantasy (although we can see that a lot if it is). It's kind of too cutesy of him -- and kind of lazy -- to leave that all open. Worst, though, is the chummy, conversational way he interviews her. He never pushes her, never digs for the truth, never gets her to confront the sheer madness of her actions, etc. etc. And because of that, we are never told what motivates her, which is an awfully big question to leave hanging. Much as I love some of his other films, I was not satisfied with this one.

so funny it made my day

Really don't miss this hot mess.

The subject, Joyce McKinney is certainly charming if not manipulative and a bit self-deluded. The style & direction of the film is upbeat, kitchy, vintage tabloid through out. Every interview is obviously relaxed and detailed without going too dark & serious. Glows with older peoples reflections of the youthful craziness they all participated in in some way.

It's a great movie about a super smart or super insane women.

Wow... Erroll Morris has out done himself with this amazing documentary. A beautiful and elegant character study of a woman who is completley out of her mind Mad. The editing and structure of the film is hypnotizing and the plot keeps you enthralled from beginning to end. You don't want to miss this one... it's great.