UTOPIANS

US, 2011, 84 minutes, Colour.
Jim Fletcher, Courtney Webster, Lauren Hind, Arthur French.
Directed by Zbigniew Bzymek.

A slice of unusual, odd Brooklyn life. At 84 minutes, it is a sketch portrait of three rather dysfunctional individuals.

It sounds rather improvised at times and we watch episodes of interaction – are asked to observe and, if possible, respond sympathetically. Roger teaches yoga to a rather indifferent small class, hesitant in speech (and a past of drug addiction). He meets his army daughter, Zoe, a tough, butch-mannered woman who is in love with Maya, a schizophrenic who is institutionalised.

The three then live together, loving but with prickly episodes and tensions as they promise to do renovations in a friend’s house.

So, brief case studies which may or may not be of interest.

1. The impact of the film? Independent? Small-budget?

2. The Brooklyn settings, the loft, the city streets, the hospital? The contrast with the mansion to be renovated? The yoga hall? The musical score? Songs?

3. The title, idealists? People who had no place to go?

4. The structure of the film, the introduction to the characters, their interactions, the renovation job, the classes? The emerging psychological difficulties, interactions?

5. Roger, age and experience? Drug background? Teaching yoga, his hesitant speeches, his interaction with his students, their seeming indifference? Meeting Zoe, her father? The initial tensions? Her love for Maya, her phial of blood? Going to see Maya, her schizophrenia? His watching Zoe’s relationship? Maya’s release, their going to Morris? The renovation of the house, the agreement, the work, Morris’s interventions, Roger and his reactions? The three living in the house? Further tension? Zoe locking Roger in the room? His students getting out? His watching the other teacher of yoga, using the phrases that he had used in the class? His future?

6. Zoe, the army, her uniform, coming home, relationship with her father? Her love for Maya, the blood? Going to the hospital? Their all living together, her burning Maya’s diagnosis paper? Clashes with her father, the work, not doing anything, watching TV? The taking of Maya back to hospital? Future?

7. Maya, schizophrenia, in the hospital, her manner and behaviour? Out, watching the work being done? Relationship with Zoe? Interactions with Roger? Going back to hospital?

8. Morris, friendship, offering the job? Wanting to look, his dissatisfaction with the sanding of the door? Roger’s reaction? Their finally talking together?

9. Background characters, the students of yoga, the alternate teacher, his willing students? The little girls in the ballet? The final child, the friend taking her away?

10. The dog, friendship with Roger, frightening the children? Constant companion?

11. Audience interest in these characters, sympathy, understanding?