Pulpmovies Reviews

Taking place seven years after the events of Henry Fool, Fay Grim sees the film’s eponymous heroine (Parker Posey), now a single mother, struggling to bring up her 14 year old son, Ned (Liam Aiken) so that he doesn’t turn out like his father.

Meanwhile, Fay’s brother, Simon (James Urbaniak) is serving a ten year prison sentence for his part in Henry’s escape from the law. While here, he has come into possession of one of the volume of Henry’s Confessions – his handwritten, but appalling, literary epic. Simon has now come to suspect that there is much more to Henry’s Confessions – and to Henry himself – than was initially apparent.

And then the CIA turns up in the form of Agent Fulbright (Jeff Goldblum). According to Fulbright, Henry is dead and two volumes of Henry’s Confessions – which may have international implications – have fallen into the hands of the French government and the CIA would like Fay to travel to Paris to retrieve them.

After this, things start to become really convoluted and Fay’s mission turns into a sprawling series of deceits and double-crosses, pitching her deep into the murky world of international espionage.

As a genuinely funny farce of a spy thriller, Fay Grim is a unique film. The sprawling plot is driven forward by the sharp and witty – if occasionally exposition heavy – dialogue and the film is held together by Parker Posey’s superb performance.

Posey really does do a great job here of bringing her character to life. At the start of the film, Fay Grim is really not coping – she’s disorganised, struggling and still unsure of how to put her life back together. But as the film progresses, and she finds herself enmeshed in an increasingly complex – and dangerous – situation, a calm and assured character has emerged and taken control of her life.

Although Posey carries the film, Jeff Goldblum’s portrayal of the manipulative Agent Fulbright also deserves a mention. Fulbright clearly believes that he can remain in control of events and it is this confidence – and his inability to see the developing resolve in Fay – that allows her to turn the tables on him.

Fay Grim is smart, sexy, stylish and funny. And so is the film. Go see it.

Trackback this Post | Feed on comments to this Post