Olivia Munn’s spirited performance elevates what otherwise feels like a moralistic, obvious self-help treatise on trauma and accountability.
(This review is part of our coverage of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.)
There has been a significant shift in filmmaking and scripting recently where buzzy ideas like ‘trauma’ and ‘accountability’ have been explored in a very lazy and uninspiring surface-level fashion. The need for movies to be some sort of active moral life lesson and perhaps worse, a form of therapy, has overtaken the artistry with which human emotions and connections can be conveyed through the moving image.
It’s a chicken/egg scenario trying to decipher whether illiteracy in art came before this hackneyed hijacking of cinema by wannabe therapists or vice versa. A movie like Violet, for all of its good intentions, fails to decipher itself beyond this medicated approach.
Before the movie began, filmmaker Justine Bateman delivered an opening personal statement which made it evidently clear that this film is first and foremost aimed to be manual or a guide. This set off red flags right away that this movie is trying to make itself useful and thus will almost guarantee to be an insufferable bore.
Still, I was surprised that Violet actually managed to be engaging in a few aspects. First off, I’ve never seen Olivia Munn put in a genuinely good performance, so this was a first. Maybe it’s because her titular character is literally in the film industry and familiar in many ways, but nevertheless, she conveys well the varied emotion of someone feeling stuck in a job and having a sense of constant anxiety that slowly shuts her more and more inside of her own head.
Bateman’s direction functionally works, but it’s too obvious and on-the-nose. It indiscreetly uses visual cues to signify emotion (the screen shifts colors to a deep red every time Violet feels uncomfortable or overwhelmed) and literally spells thoughts out in both writing and a voice-over (Justin Theroux) of Violet’s internal monologue – what she calls her “committee”. Flashback sequences to her childhood where her mother treated her poorly are played like power-point presentations on different walls in the city.
Essentially a movie version of a self-help book.
Some may find this type of stuff profound and important because it does a successful job in manipulating viewers’ emotions and preparing for a breakthrough catharsis at the end. But then why not just watch a motivational lecture or go actually see a therapist?
As essentially a movie version of a self-help book, Violet erases the subtextual, emotional drive of cinema and makes it literal text in an overt way that is structurally and visually manufactured to make you feel something. Unlike a lot of the sappy TV shows of late where characters literally tell you what they’re feeling, you can consider this at least a step up — at least it utilizes something besides “story” to active its prescribed dose of therapy. Is it art though?
The movie has a subplot where Violet really believes in an artistic film that she wants to get into production but her bosses laugh it off as unprofitable. One can consider Violet to be sort of the compromise of those two positions. It creates something that is actively profitable in the film market today – entertainment as therapy – and dresses it up as an art film. It’s like when you dangle a treat to trick your dog into opening its mouth so you can slip in its medicine.
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial