FAY GRIM

She's going where? To do what? Why?

Parker Posey strikes me as having the sort of fiercely loyal fan base who would buy tickets to see her watch paint dry. If you happen to fall into that category, I hate to discount the entertainment value of Fay Grim, but alas, it's not very good. Even accounting for the fact that I'm not part of the intended audience, it's still a pretty big drag.

Fay Grim continues the story of Henry Fool ten years after the original film's release. From what I've gathered, Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan) helped Fay's brother, Simon (James Urbaniak), to become a Nobel Prize winning poet, married Fay (Parker Posey) with whom he had a son, then descended into a life of debauchery and fled the country. By the time we catch up with Fay, her brother has gone to prison, and it looks like her son (Liam Aiken) is going to follow in his father's footsteps.

Though Fay does her best to downplay her connection to Henry, it's clear that's she's never really gotten over him. She's taken back her maiden name and frequently declares, "I'm single! Sort of," but with so much on her plate, how can a girl not wish for someone to lean on? And if her husband is still out there, why shouldn't it be him?

When Agent Fulbright (Jeff Goldblum) arrives at Fay's door, it seems as though she will finally get her chance at closure. Now suspected of treason, Henry is a wanted man, and it's up to Fay to find him. She's sent to Paris as a CIA operative, but is given only enough information to accomplish the task at hand. While Fay's understanding of the situation is vague, the audience is almost completely in the dark. She's going where? To do what? Why?

As Fay's spy mission becomes increasingly complicated and violent, the plot becomes even more convoluted. There seems to be some question as to Henry's aliveness, and Fay teams up with one of his old lovers to crack the case. He's dead... he's not dead... who cares? The plot is so murky that it's impossible to immerse yourself in the story. There are lots of movies whose plots I can't exactly explain (most of the Lethal Weapon and Pirates of the Caribbean series, for example), but this doesn't necessarily hamper my enjoyment. It's usually easy enough to understand where the characters are coming from and the action is punctuated in such a way that you know what's important. Not so much with Fay Grim.

Though I can't recommend Fay Grim, Parker Posey is charming as usual, and has one of the most stylish wardrobes you can imagine. You've got to love a girl tackling a case of international intrigue in fingerless gloves, a foxy trench coat, and thigh-high boots. It's just a shame someone couldn't have written her a better film.