Miranda July

Making up the odd little microcosm of Me and You (recently chosen for competition at Cannes) are characters ranging in size, color, age and desires. Christine (July), a woman who chauffeurs the elderly around in her car, longs for two things: her own art installation and the affections of a scruffy shoe salesman named Richard (John Hawkes, of HBO's Deadwood). Richard is nursing a broken heart and a bit of self-flagellation since separating with his wife and moving his mixed race sons (Miles Thompson and amazing six-year-old Brandon Ratcliff) into a tiny apartment.

Continue reading: Me And You And Everyone We Know Review

Peter Sarsgaard plays Richard, a typical (almost stereotypical) techo-geek who made a million dollars the year prior and is about to make a lot more through an IPO. We are introduced to him and Florence (Molly Parker) as they check into a hotel suite in Las Vegas. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that Richard recently met Florence, a freckled stunner, at the strip club where she works. Within five minutes, Wang sets the film's tone by having Parker perform an act that eliminates any chance for an R rating -- a shocking act for a lead actress in a mainstream film, and one that suggests that freedom of sexuality is a major issue here (and that Parker is an actress with few boundaries).

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Like a mini-"Short Cuts," the story follows severallost and lonely characters as they cross paths in funny, sad and sometimesdisturbing ways. A six year-old boy chats on an internet sex site, a manlights his hand on fire and a woman practically throws herself at him,not comprehending how dangerous or unhinged he may be. Yet none of thissets off any alarm bells, thanks to July's wide-eyed dreaminess and eternalhope.

A former performance artist and video maker, her featuredebut plays both with memorable visuals and lovingly written words. Fromthe opening sequence -- in which she records two voices for a potentialvideo art piece -- she raises our hopes and manages to keep them there.

July plays Christine, a video artist who falls for Richard(John Hawkes), a newly divorced father of two boys, one a teenager andthe other only six. Christine also drives an Elder Cab and becomes involvedwith some of her aged clients. Otherwise, we meet a couple of teenage girlsexperimenting with sex, Richard's African-American ex-wife, who alreadyhas a new boyfriend, and a lonely art museum curator.

Continue reading: Me & You & Everyone We Know Review