{"id":26719,"date":"2024-10-24T22:05:27","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T02:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=26719"},"modified":"2024-10-24T22:29:01","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T02:29:01","slug":"sallywood-an-intergenerational-encouragement-to-never-give-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=26719","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Sallywood,\u2019 An Intergenerational Encouragement To Never Give Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

The film written and directed by\u00a0<\/span>Xaque Gruber is based on the true story of a 20-something aspiring artist dreaming of meeting his idol, actress Sally Kirkland.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sallywood<\/i><\/b><\/a> <\/i><\/b>takes an ingenious, ironic and authentic exploration into the world of the fleetingness of stardom. The American actress who starred in over 200 films, gained an Oscar nomination, an Independent Spirit Award and won the 1988 Golden Globe \u2014 running against Glenn Close, Faye Dunaway, Barba Streisand and Rachel Chagall \u2014 has been forgotten. Many cinema-goers mistaken her for Sally Kellerman, her agent Clem (Eric Roberts) has dropped her; acclaimed filmmakers such as George Corrigan (Keith Carradine) and Kathryn Corrigan (Kay Lenz) ignore her. Sally Kirkland struggles to make a living, hoping her artwork will sell, and she keeps afloat teaching acting to incompetent aspiring actresses who have settled for porn, like Bibi (Nikki Tuazon) and Poundcake (Angeline Rose Troy).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n

Only a young ingenue who has revered Sally Kirkland, since he was nine years old (Lucas Krystek), still sees her as the incredibly talented actress who performed in the sleeper hit Anna<\/i><\/b>: Zack (Tyler Steelman). In fact, it is the very dream of meeting Sally Kirkland that motivates the aspiring filmmaker to move a the small town in Maine \u2014 where he is coddled by his parents Dave (Lenny von Dohlen) and Joann (Jennifer Tilly) \u2014 to the City of Angels. As Zack says: \u201cIn every humdrum life there is a muse, someone who ignites inspiration, Matisse had the Cone Sisters, Andrew Wyeth had Helga\u2026I had Sally Kirkland.\u201d <\/i>In Tinsel Town, Zack moves in with the uncouth Tom (Tom Connolly), who is planning to shoot a film, but most importantly he does meet Sally Kirkland and is instantly hired to be her assistant. Zack quickly learns how her career is in shambles, and dedicates himself to finding a way to land her back on the red carpet where she belongs. This will include also humorous compromises, such as casting her in Tom\u2019s ghastly movie \u2018Outer Space Zombie Chicks In Prison<\/i>.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo by Alexandra Weiss<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sallywood<\/i><\/b><\/a> is very sensitive in portraying an intergenerational friendship, where different life experiences nurture the two parties involved. Zack sees himself as a bewildered Alice In Wonderland<\/i>, who hangs on to his unicorn plush toy; whilst Sally oscillates between her well-versed intellect, referencing a different kind of Alice (B. Toklas), and her faith in the imponderable powers of the universe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Filmmaker <\/span>Xaque Gruber manages to find a gentle approach in dressing a drama as a mockumentary and redemption story. Sally Kirkland is phenomenal in portraying herself with wry self-deprecation. In Sallywood<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a>, her outstanding career has been swept into oblivion as she resiliently navigates hardships, through Sanskrit chants and casting sessions for McDonald\u2019s commercials. Sally plays the eccentric, to convey a universal story that pertains to many in the film industry whose popularity has withered and aspire for a second chance. The real actress is fearless in exposing a fictional representation of a star fallen out of grace, who at the end of the day longs for simple things, such as string cheese and spending Christmas with a family.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The entire cast supports this endearing tale that celebrates Sally Kirkland, in which she doesn\u2019t take herself seriously, yet allows her career to speak on her behalf. She also pokes fun at her past romantic encounters, with musicians such as Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson, actors Rip Torn, Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro and even anchorman <\/span>Ted Koppel with whom she shared her first kiss<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/ins>\n

Sallywood<\/i><\/b><\/a> turns out to be a blissful watch, where dreams come true at any age, whether you\u2019re young and fantasise about meeting your idol, or you\u2019re in your senior times longing to resurge. <\/span><\/p>\n

Final Grade: C+<\/span><\/p>\n

Photos Courtesy of K.O. PR<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Check out more of Chiara\u2019s articles<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n