Movie Breakdown: Kajillionaire
Pre-Screening Stance:
Everything about this new film from writer/director Miranda July (Me And You And Everyone We Know) looks delightfully quirky. Also, it’s about con men … or well, I guess a con family? Anyhow, the point is that I tend to enjoy movies that feature quality conning.
Post-Screening Ramble:
Well, as expected, Kajillionaire is a weird one. The film follows a 26 year-old woman, Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), and her parents, Robert (Richard Jenkins) and Theresa (Debra Winger), as they troll around LA, hustling folks and just doing whatever to get by. The three of them are great at what they do, but they’re small-time scammers, so when their landlord comes calling for all the back-rent that they owe on their home (an abandoned office space with walls that leak bubbles), they concoct a grand plan to get a wad of cash. This leads the trio to a spunky young lady named Melanie (Gina Rodriguez), who then pulls them into an even more elaborate plot to get temporarily rich.
Obviously, much of Kajillionaire revolves around these characters and their ploy to pay the rent, but it’s Old Dolio that goes through the most here (and for lack of a better phrase, comes of age). She’s never done anything for herself, nor have her parents really done anything for her outside of teaching her their scams, and as she becomes more and more aware of this, a triumphant transformation is set in motion. It isn’t an easy-to-watch process, as Old Dolio is a very obtuse person, but it is easy to root for her. Evan Rachel Wood brings a sort of underlying softness to the gruff character, and it really helps that she’s joined by Gina Rodriguez’s always-buoyant Melanie, who’s essentially a big sister to her. You just want the pair of them to break free from Old Dolio’s toxic parents and the limiting life she’s always had to endure.
In general, I think that Kajillionaire is a winner. It packs an emotional punch but it’s also a funny, charming affair. With that being said, you should know though that this film has a variety of moments that are very surreal. It seemed like every time I’d start to get settled, it would throw a curve ball at my mind. You’re either going to love those bits, or they’ll prove to be too heady and unnecessary. As I like to say, your mileage may vary.
One Last Thought:
I’ve been watching Evan Rachel Wood’s Dolores confidently and brutally kick all kinds of ass in Westworld for a few years now, so it was fairly jarring to see her play a character who is so immensely unsure of herself.
