Swimming Into Cambodia

Rating: Null/10 (11 November 2004)

Spoilers herein.
I really liked this. Its disguised as a John Hughes venture into high school crush and accompanying sex. But it is instead that wrapped around an idea that while old is the hottest thing among Hollywood: folded narrative. Often this is called reflection and it focuses on films about films.
In this case, the 'outer' film is your regular John Hughes piffle: gaggle of nerds and a beauty. Incredibly dumb adults. One wild card weasel.
But inside that movie is another one, about movie-making and the oft-cited issue of performers being prostitutes. In these two regards, the movie is like 'Moulin Rouge.'
But here, the joke is on the other side, the heroine 'prostitute' escapes the movie, while the innocent boyfriend dives in and succeeds. The manner of how this is presented suits the subject matter: most of it is told in narration from the POV of the hero, and many small films-within are presented by us 'seeing' his imagination.
I'm increasingly convinced that there is more intelligence in the Hollywood writer's community than the genres (and the commercial pressures that constrain them) permit. So we see little playthings like this peeking out.
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.