20 years after VIRGIL BLISS the second part of a proposed trilogy is being released. The film picks up the lives of the various characters some 20 years on.
I should mention right at the top that I did not watch the previous film. While I was give a chance to screen the previous film I decided against it because I figured that most people seeing BLISS are probably going to see it without having seen the previous film. I wanted to take it on it’s own terms. (I also did not have time to take a side trip in the crush of films from Slamdance.) Having said that I need to report that you don’t need to have seen the previous film to enjoy this one. The film just starts and goes and you can just go with it.
The film has Virgil going home with his girlfriend Amy. She’s excited about getting a full time job at Party City. They have a small party, unfortunately Amy passes away in the night. Virgil, a man on the run from the law, can’t call the authorities. Things are complicated when Amy’s sister shows up looking for her.
This is not a thriller. While there is some suspense because of the way the story goes, this is a character study. As that BLISS is a very good drama. It’s a low key drama more interested in getting to the truth of the characters then it is in creating a false narrative arc. The result is a movie that moves us because we care about the characters.
God bless Clint Jordan as Bliss. He lets it all hang out. The camera is on him for pretty much every shot and he holds our attention. If Oscar cared about small films with journeyman performers Jordan would at the very least be in the talk for the award next year.
This is small inde gem that’s worth your time.
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