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Created Dec 26, 2011 04:27PM PST • Edited Dec 26, 2011 04:27PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Barely OK 2.0

   Ross McElwee sets out to make a movie about Sherman’s Civil War march through the south. Problem is, he just got dumped by his girlfriend. As a result, this documentary takes a twist in to an eclectic view of himself and his adventures with women and family, as well as a study of the people of the deep south. And I mean all kinds of people – isolationists, deeply fundamental conservative Christians, people who believe in “voluntary slavery”, aspiring lounge singers, and proper southern belles. Thankfully, Ross has the ability to capture the humor in the extremes of things, like an endless pursuit of Burt Reynolds, or his tirelessly match-making mom. Nevertheless, the result is annoyingly self-indulgent, and seemingly inappropriate filming of things perhaps better left out of it.

4. Acting

   Barely OK 2.0

   Except for Ross’ mom, I couldn’t connect with all the women Ross went pining after (or was set up with). I also couldn’t understand why Ross went pining after them either. Maybe he intended sarcasm – but it wasn’t obvious.

5. Male Stars Barely OK 2.0

6. Female Stars Barely OK 2.0

7. Female Costars Barely OK 2.0

8. Male Costars Barely OK 2.0

10. Film

    Barely OK 2.0

    The film was shot by Ross himself, and he had his camera for all his interactions. This made some of the interactions seem all the more inexplicable. Ross couldn’t understand why one of the women didn’t fall in love with him. Well for one, he had a frickin’ camera with him all the time! Plus, the movie is unreasonably long at 157 minutes.

11. Direction Barely OK 2.0

12. Play Barely OK 2.0

13. Music Barely OK 2.0

14. Visuals Barely OK 2.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 1.6

    A few shots of a love interest in the nude, but in the distance. Not too revealing.

17. Sex Titillating 1.6

18. Violence Fierce 1.6

19. Rudeness Salty 1.6

21. Reality

    Natural 1.0

22. Circumstantial Natural 1.0

23. Biological Natural 1.0

24. Physical Natural 1.0