Written by Linda
February 14, 2009
Martha Plimpton: Humor. Intelligence. Talent. Imagination. Bravery. Skill. When you eliminate all those things, what have you got?
Ally Sheedy: Fuckability.
Searching for Debra Winger, though not a terribly focused documentary, is still a fascinating conversation with a multitude of actresses, from the very famous (Meg Ryan, Gwyneth Paltrow) to faves of indies and foreign films (Emmanuelle Béart, Tracey Ullman, Kelly Lynch). Topics sprawl across the board, from sexism, to ageism, to limited roles for women in Hollywood. Just when you think that the focus may be about women over 40 in Hollywood, with Frances McDormand expressing horror over older actresses resorting to plastic surgery, the film will tangent to someone like Gwyneth Paltrow speaking (not particularly eloquently) about growing up in front of the camera in her 20s.
For filmmaker Arquette, the big question pulling it all together is Why did Debra Winger, once one of the most bankable stars in the biz, leave it all and "retire" at a relatively young age? What does Hollywood do to women actors that causes so many to give up and choose a regular life over pursuing their dream?
Despite the leapfrogging from topic to topic, I found myself, as a film fan, really enjoying these women wax poetic about life. The film geek in me thrilled at the moment when British actresses Charlotte Rampling and (the late) Katrin Cartlidge stopped by for a chat... I mean, who could imagine them hanging out together, much less being the buddies that they were? And seeing Ally Sheedy, Martha Coolidge, and Adrienne Shelly having a heated discussion over a meal just made me want to jump in and join the debate.
If you are not already film-obsessed, and couldn't care less about what Vanessa Redgrave, or Jane Fonda, or Holly Hunter, or Alfre Woodard, or Robin Wright Penn have to say about the challenges for women in showbiz, well, this may not hold your interest. But for the rest of us, it is like sharing a relaxing cuppa with some old friends "playing" their more unguarded regular selves.
