‘Simple Women’ Is a Faulty Psychological Drama About Obsession

In 1956, sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl developed the concept of parasocial interactions (PSI), a term that refers to the connection that media consumers feel towards media figures (i.e., actors and celebrities). Despite its foreboding terminology, parasocial interactions and parasocial relationships are more common in 2019 than you may assume—especially considering your celebrity crush springs from PSI—and Chiara Malta’s debut feature “Simple Women” directly addresses the bizarre connection that links ordinary people to renowned celebrities in the 21st century.

By all accounts, Federica (Jasmine Trinca) is not normal. Even if you discount her epilepsy, the Italian filmmaker’s combination of imagination and passion allows her to stand out in a crowd. As a visionary trapped within the stagnation of documentary work, Federica sees no escape from obscurity until she incidentally runs across her childhood idol, Elina Löwensohn (playing a fictionalized version of herself), a Romanian actress whose career is stuck within a state of limbo. Soon, the two women strike up an unlikely friendship and begin collaborating on a film based on Löwensohn’s life experiences, an endeavor that quickly crumbles beneath the weight of Federica’s off-kilter vision and Löwensohn’s prideful unpredictability.

Although the “Simple” in its title is derived from Hal Hartley’s “Simple Men“—a movie that Federica watches as a teenager that features Löwensohn having an onscreen seizure—Malta’s depiction of dueling egos is surprisingly complex. Thematically, “Simple Women” lays out its intentions with an unusual craftiness, almost as if the film were trying to sneak up on its audience. Its conversation regarding the line between fascination and obsession, as well as the inherent problem associated with idolization, plays out in a commendably laidback fashion. Likewise, the atmosphere of the film is palpably personal, allowing off-kilter humor and character interactions to peel back the layers that cloak the film’s hidden intentions.

In addition to Malta’s direction, the interplay between Trinca and Löwensohn functions as the film’s pulsating lifeline, permitting “Simple Women” to surpass beyond clichéd metafiction and develop into intriguing psychoanalysis of two artists. Scenes where Löwensohn namedrops her time working on “Schindler’s List,” references Marvel films, and recreates moments from her career function as exceptional highlights. At times, the plot hints at venturing into sinister, Darren Aronofsky-like territory, but it never gains a concrete grasp on its destination, which kicks the film into a surreal downward spiral within the final moments of its concluding act.

Clocking in shy of 90 minutes, “Simple Women” speeds by in a blink but still manages to lose itself in the waves long enough to confuse the viewer. Ultimately, the naturalistic set-up established over 85 percent of the film sabotages itself by descending into a dreamlike conclusion that, even abiding by the film’s preestablished rules, makes little sense. The wrap-up in question is not an artistically ambiguous fade to darkness—it is an utterly perplexing smash cut to black. In all fairness, Malta should be commended for her distinctive style, but “Simple Women” never sheds the parasite that kills countless first-time feature films: too many ideas and too little depth.

“Simple Women” exudes an assured maturity that should make any filmmaker jealous, but the feature’s anticipated impact was likely lost in the transition from concept to execution, allowing the film’s recurring theme of fantasy to overtake the real-world product (and transforming a realistic psychological drama into a half-realized dream in the process). The performances, style, and experimentation of “Simple Women” may catch your attention; it just won’t keep it for long. [C+]

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