There is no pretension in Page's performance, only a professionalism and artistic mastery on display.
Up until now, I haven´t discussed the specifics of the plot for one good reason: to mention one aspect would mean having to mention a great many more, based on the nature of the story itself. So we´ll speak in broad generalities. There is no attempt at eliciting emotion from the audience on behalf of any of the characters. Unsympathetic brutes (as in the case of Mr. Berkowitz), laughable (Dr. Herker, the shrink), inconsequential (Lance the…who knows what) or superfluous (Billy Zero), there seems to be an intent in the original material to throw in as many types of personalities as possible to cover up the fact we never get to know any of them very well.
That, I think, is the crux of the problem. With the personalities on display, an underlying rationale is needed to make them feel human as opposed to mere caricatures. It´s something we don´t get in the finished film. The narrative moves methodically from one memory to another, expecting us to fill in the pieces. But when we know from the very beginning the production is more interested in the style over the substance, we can´t help but mentally check out since no payoff is on the horizon. Indeed, in "The Tracey Fragments," there isn´t any. All we get to is the expected. And that´s terribly…ordinary…for a film trying to be anything but.
VIDEO:
I have to hand it to the folks over at Image Entertainment. For a movie which made a grand total of $42k in the worldwide box office, the video presentation is quite impressive. Displayed in the original 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio, the transfer generates an omnipresent feeling of a memory. While the blacks are solid and consistent throughout, other scenes appear washed out and dingy, as if being seen through a filter in the mind. Grain is present, as I´m guessing it was originally. Without the director or other production personnel chiming in on a commentary track, knowing what possible imperfections in the video output are intentional and which aren´t is extremely hard, especially considering the look they were most likely going for.
AUDIO:
No surprises here, with two different English audio tracks here: 5.1 and 2.0. In an odd twist, the 5.1 version sounds louder than the 2.0 flavor (usually it is the reverse). Both remain clear and free of defects. Dialogue isn´t overpowered by ambient sound or the score. Although neither option is a stand out in any way, they are serviceable enough. The 5.1 edition doesn´t take advantage of its extra speakers, sadly. A small audio effect here or there wouldn´t have materially helped the film; it would have only added a bit of extra oomph to the tech specs.
EXTRAS:
Now here´s where the disappointment comes in. With a star like Ellen Page, I would have expected some meaty bonus features. Instead, what we´re given is a paltry seven minute "making of" featuring short interviews interspersed with film clips. All the participants are overjoyed at the finished product, especially McDonald, who touts the modular look of the film. (Shooting lasted two weeks; editing took 5 or 6 months.)
Then there are winning and runner-up entries into the "Tracey: ReFragmented" contest. Five different people went on line, remixed various clips provided by McDonald and were submitted back to the director. He picked one winner and four runners-up. A rather pointless and boring affair, most likely included to fill out the extras package. "The Single Frame" is nothing more than an excruciatingly long 5:14 photo gallery featuring the work of Matt O´Sullivan. Each image is preceded by a caption explaining what we´re about to see. They are automatically advancing.
Two trailers begin the disc ("Autumn Hearts" and "6 Reasons Why") while this film´s trailer is also included.
PARTING THOUGHTS:
Some movies will not let you like them. The culprit can be an unsympathetic protagonist, a flimsy plot or an over reliance on a filmmaking technique. Such is the case with "The Tracey Fragments." A germ of an idea is tucked away in the production, yet both screenwriter (and original author) Medved and director McDonald can´t seem to get at it with any regularity. Certainly telling the story out of sequence doesn´t help; neither does the preponderance of frames within each shot. It´s all style over substance. The only saving grace is Page, though even her talent isn´t enough to save a forgettable endeavor.
That, I think, is the crux of the problem. With the personalities on display, an underlying rationale is needed to make them feel human as opposed to mere caricatures. It´s something we don´t get in the finished film. The narrative moves methodically from one memory to another, expecting us to fill in the pieces. But when we know from the very beginning the production is more interested in the style over the substance, we can´t help but mentally check out since no payoff is on the horizon. Indeed, in "The Tracey Fragments," there isn´t any. All we get to is the expected. And that´s terribly…ordinary…for a film trying to be anything but.
VIDEO:
I have to hand it to the folks over at Image Entertainment. For a movie which made a grand total of $42k in the worldwide box office, the video presentation is quite impressive. Displayed in the original 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio, the transfer generates an omnipresent feeling of a memory. While the blacks are solid and consistent throughout, other scenes appear washed out and dingy, as if being seen through a filter in the mind. Grain is present, as I´m guessing it was originally. Without the director or other production personnel chiming in on a commentary track, knowing what possible imperfections in the video output are intentional and which aren´t is extremely hard, especially considering the look they were most likely going for.
AUDIO:
No surprises here, with two different English audio tracks here: 5.1 and 2.0. In an odd twist, the 5.1 version sounds louder than the 2.0 flavor (usually it is the reverse). Both remain clear and free of defects. Dialogue isn´t overpowered by ambient sound or the score. Although neither option is a stand out in any way, they are serviceable enough. The 5.1 edition doesn´t take advantage of its extra speakers, sadly. A small audio effect here or there wouldn´t have materially helped the film; it would have only added a bit of extra oomph to the tech specs.
EXTRAS:
Now here´s where the disappointment comes in. With a star like Ellen Page, I would have expected some meaty bonus features. Instead, what we´re given is a paltry seven minute "making of" featuring short interviews interspersed with film clips. All the participants are overjoyed at the finished product, especially McDonald, who touts the modular look of the film. (Shooting lasted two weeks; editing took 5 or 6 months.)
Then there are winning and runner-up entries into the "Tracey: ReFragmented" contest. Five different people went on line, remixed various clips provided by McDonald and were submitted back to the director. He picked one winner and four runners-up. A rather pointless and boring affair, most likely included to fill out the extras package. "The Single Frame" is nothing more than an excruciatingly long 5:14 photo gallery featuring the work of Matt O´Sullivan. Each image is preceded by a caption explaining what we´re about to see. They are automatically advancing.
Two trailers begin the disc ("Autumn Hearts" and "6 Reasons Why") while this film´s trailer is also included.
PARTING THOUGHTS:
Some movies will not let you like them. The culprit can be an unsympathetic protagonist, a flimsy plot or an over reliance on a filmmaking technique. Such is the case with "The Tracey Fragments." A germ of an idea is tucked away in the production, yet both screenwriter (and original author) Medved and director McDonald can´t seem to get at it with any regularity. Certainly telling the story out of sequence doesn´t help; neither does the preponderance of frames within each shot. It´s all style over substance. The only saving grace is Page, though even her talent isn´t enough to save a forgettable endeavor.
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[release]23559[/release]