A good movie to see if you want to better understand your Jewish friends. Intelligent, witty and worthwhile. I still don't understand why Josh's student friends tried to destroy the university library. There needed to be an explanation of this.
6 Reviews
Decent Canadian film-making, just decent.
mrtunes19 January 2006
Various Positions is a fairly good watch if you want something depressing and self-loathing. You probably wont crack many smiles in this one, especially since the lead actor is horribly stiff, painfully stiff! The acting performances are mediocre at best unfortunately. Being a dialogue based movie the script holds up fairly well surprisingly regardless of all shortcomings in the actor's performances, and this is what keeps the movie on its feet. The father has some funny lines, and Carly Pope does a good job playing the role of Cheryth as this character has the most personality in the film.
A movie that deals with similar themes as this one is Liberty Heights, but that takes place in the 50s so it's quite different.
A movie that deals with similar themes as this one is Liberty Heights, but that takes place in the 50s so it's quite different.
Sincere but not centered
jake872 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
* Some spoilers *
Writer-director Ori Kowarsky obviously chose subject matter of deep personal importance, to the point where some of his family and friends may find certain scenes painful to watch. Despite this highly specific setting, though, some in the independent film audience will see things to like here.
That's true even though Kowarsky makes the basic error of many young would-be auteurs. He focuses the film on his dull, confused protagonist (alter ego?) instead of the more interesting characters around him. For Josh Szchevisky, the Canadian college student at the center of Kowarky's film, parents, girlfriend, other students and university life in general are all problems to be overcome or avoided. It doesn't help this schematic approach that Tygh Runyan gives a remarkably closed performance as Josh. Some of this is attributable to the script, but some of it is just wooden acting.
Nevertheless, this film illustrates a certain type of Jewish family. Certainly, the dialogue among Josh, his parents and his younger brother has an authentic ring. Michal Suchanek is charming as Josh's younger brother Tzvi, who is home on a break from studying to be a rabbi, apparently at ultra-orthodox Ner Israel in Baltimore. The arguments between Josh's parents are well played by L. Harvey Gold and Marie Stillin, and may sound familiar to some viewers.
But it would be interesting to see these people interact in ways that were not simply rhetorical. In particular, Josh's father seems to be the second most important character in the film. As with many Holocaust survivors, his Jewish identity and the outer formalities of religious observance are of overriding importance to him, yet late in the movie we learn he is furious with God and unable to truly invest in faith. This combination of extreme legalistic practice coupled with the revelation of deep-seated doubts could be compelling, but Kowarsky treats the latter simply as an afterthought.
Instead, the plot hinges on the family's reaction to Josh's puppy-dog involvement with Cheryth, a new student whose father is a wealthy, non-observant Jew. He married a gentile woman, and so in the traditional method of reckoning descent, Cheryth is not Jewish. This becomes a problem almost immediately, when Josh invites her home for a Passover Seder and Cheryth gets the third-degree from his father, eventually leaving in embarrassment.
That's unfortunate on many levels, not least because Mr. Szchevisky is portrayed as a bully and many Jews would regard his behavior as bigoted as well as boorish. Details that will be telling for Jews, such as Cheryth's rebuffed attempt to shake hands with Tzvi, also may come across as bizarrely intolerant to non-Jews.
It's a shame that Cheryth simply becomes a bone of contention between Josh and his parents, because Carly Pope breathes life into this movie during her scenes. Cheryth is a talented young artist, whose work ranges from simple but luminous wraps of fabric and lights to more elaborate public installations. The featured artworks are among the strong points of this movie, adding beauty and interest.
Yet Kowarsky weighs down Cheryth with a parallel but poorly explored dispute with her father, as well as an affair with a French-Canadian student who hardly makes an appearance. Late in the movie, Cheryth and her friends trash the university library. One can speculate that it's because her father has made her transfer her major to computers, and the vandalism has the look of more public art. There are some striking visuals, yet it's so haphazardly presented that at first it seems like a dream sequence. The incident cries out for further explanation (and certainly has nothing to do with a simple-minded attribution to Marxism).
Cheryth is clearly talented and troubled. There's a lot to explore with the character, and Carly Pope seems more than capable of handling that job. Yet like more mainstream films on the topic, Kowarsky is content to suggest that Cheryth's complications make her unsuited for Josh, especially since she won't convert. That conclusion may be true, but it's also pat. And an obligatory nude scene really shouldn't make viewers worry about the health of the actress involved, but when she takes off her clothes in this movie, Carly Pope is so skinny and flat- chested that one wants her to get counseling and nutritional help. (On the other hand, Pope is confident enough in her pretty face to go without make-up and covered with zits in that bedroom scene. That makes 'Various Positions' the only movie in recent memory where an actress playing an 18-year-old student actually looks like an 18-year-old student.)
In short, 'Various Positions' is not as simplistic as typical Hollywood fare, and it's subject matter may be refreshing to some viewers. But it's target audience is fairly narrow, and it's appeal waxes and wanes from scene to scene.
Writer-director Ori Kowarsky obviously chose subject matter of deep personal importance, to the point where some of his family and friends may find certain scenes painful to watch. Despite this highly specific setting, though, some in the independent film audience will see things to like here.
That's true even though Kowarsky makes the basic error of many young would-be auteurs. He focuses the film on his dull, confused protagonist (alter ego?) instead of the more interesting characters around him. For Josh Szchevisky, the Canadian college student at the center of Kowarky's film, parents, girlfriend, other students and university life in general are all problems to be overcome or avoided. It doesn't help this schematic approach that Tygh Runyan gives a remarkably closed performance as Josh. Some of this is attributable to the script, but some of it is just wooden acting.
Nevertheless, this film illustrates a certain type of Jewish family. Certainly, the dialogue among Josh, his parents and his younger brother has an authentic ring. Michal Suchanek is charming as Josh's younger brother Tzvi, who is home on a break from studying to be a rabbi, apparently at ultra-orthodox Ner Israel in Baltimore. The arguments between Josh's parents are well played by L. Harvey Gold and Marie Stillin, and may sound familiar to some viewers.
But it would be interesting to see these people interact in ways that were not simply rhetorical. In particular, Josh's father seems to be the second most important character in the film. As with many Holocaust survivors, his Jewish identity and the outer formalities of religious observance are of overriding importance to him, yet late in the movie we learn he is furious with God and unable to truly invest in faith. This combination of extreme legalistic practice coupled with the revelation of deep-seated doubts could be compelling, but Kowarsky treats the latter simply as an afterthought.
Instead, the plot hinges on the family's reaction to Josh's puppy-dog involvement with Cheryth, a new student whose father is a wealthy, non-observant Jew. He married a gentile woman, and so in the traditional method of reckoning descent, Cheryth is not Jewish. This becomes a problem almost immediately, when Josh invites her home for a Passover Seder and Cheryth gets the third-degree from his father, eventually leaving in embarrassment.
That's unfortunate on many levels, not least because Mr. Szchevisky is portrayed as a bully and many Jews would regard his behavior as bigoted as well as boorish. Details that will be telling for Jews, such as Cheryth's rebuffed attempt to shake hands with Tzvi, also may come across as bizarrely intolerant to non-Jews.
It's a shame that Cheryth simply becomes a bone of contention between Josh and his parents, because Carly Pope breathes life into this movie during her scenes. Cheryth is a talented young artist, whose work ranges from simple but luminous wraps of fabric and lights to more elaborate public installations. The featured artworks are among the strong points of this movie, adding beauty and interest.
Yet Kowarsky weighs down Cheryth with a parallel but poorly explored dispute with her father, as well as an affair with a French-Canadian student who hardly makes an appearance. Late in the movie, Cheryth and her friends trash the university library. One can speculate that it's because her father has made her transfer her major to computers, and the vandalism has the look of more public art. There are some striking visuals, yet it's so haphazardly presented that at first it seems like a dream sequence. The incident cries out for further explanation (and certainly has nothing to do with a simple-minded attribution to Marxism).
Cheryth is clearly talented and troubled. There's a lot to explore with the character, and Carly Pope seems more than capable of handling that job. Yet like more mainstream films on the topic, Kowarsky is content to suggest that Cheryth's complications make her unsuited for Josh, especially since she won't convert. That conclusion may be true, but it's also pat. And an obligatory nude scene really shouldn't make viewers worry about the health of the actress involved, but when she takes off her clothes in this movie, Carly Pope is so skinny and flat- chested that one wants her to get counseling and nutritional help. (On the other hand, Pope is confident enough in her pretty face to go without make-up and covered with zits in that bedroom scene. That makes 'Various Positions' the only movie in recent memory where an actress playing an 18-year-old student actually looks like an 18-year-old student.)
In short, 'Various Positions' is not as simplistic as typical Hollywood fare, and it's subject matter may be refreshing to some viewers. But it's target audience is fairly narrow, and it's appeal waxes and wanes from scene to scene.
Great looking film from Various Positions
digital_nemesis21 October 2002
I caught this one at the Vancouver International Film Festival and has one of my local fav's Tygh Runyan (Antitrust, Disturbing Behavior and 15 Minutes). But most of all my favourite Vancouver actress, Carly Pope (Orange County, Disturbing Behavior and TV's Popular).
The movie was well written by Vancouver UBC student Ori Kowarsky, and avoided all Hollywood elements of a tragic love story between two twenty-something's that are restricted from seeing each other due to religious beliefs. More so than the writing being excellent for a small Canadian movie I was blown away by the filming in this show afterwards when the cast and crew announced it was filmed on HDTV (a DV format). This was stellar! Never once did I think this was something put together on DV and worked on later to look like film. So inspiring now that I'm deciding to start filming a few shorts as soon as next month. The color that was used in the movie had some very filtered film effects but still had a film grain texture to it that made a very warm looking picture. Another bonus was watching the opening credits and discovering that Tygh also did a portion of the score in the movie. It had a real ambient mellow tone that was very subtle and enjoyable.
Well let me get back to the cast and crew. Like I mentioned earlier the cast and crew were present after for a Q & A. I jokingly entertained the idea that Carly being an American teen idol would be present for the pictures premiere but was shocked to find out she showed up. She was just as stunning in person as on film. I think if she continues to do more independent pictures and story driven work she will be capable of sticking around a while longer as well unlike the rest of the nameless Popular cast. It was really great to see the entire cast except for Tygh (who was filming elsewhere), be able to show and support the picture for Ori.
I can't see this being a big theatre release but if you get the chance to see it on DVD/VHS or a movie channel sometime over the next year, please check it out and support Canadian work as good as this.
The movie was well written by Vancouver UBC student Ori Kowarsky, and avoided all Hollywood elements of a tragic love story between two twenty-something's that are restricted from seeing each other due to religious beliefs. More so than the writing being excellent for a small Canadian movie I was blown away by the filming in this show afterwards when the cast and crew announced it was filmed on HDTV (a DV format). This was stellar! Never once did I think this was something put together on DV and worked on later to look like film. So inspiring now that I'm deciding to start filming a few shorts as soon as next month. The color that was used in the movie had some very filtered film effects but still had a film grain texture to it that made a very warm looking picture. Another bonus was watching the opening credits and discovering that Tygh also did a portion of the score in the movie. It had a real ambient mellow tone that was very subtle and enjoyable.
Well let me get back to the cast and crew. Like I mentioned earlier the cast and crew were present after for a Q & A. I jokingly entertained the idea that Carly being an American teen idol would be present for the pictures premiere but was shocked to find out she showed up. She was just as stunning in person as on film. I think if she continues to do more independent pictures and story driven work she will be capable of sticking around a while longer as well unlike the rest of the nameless Popular cast. It was really great to see the entire cast except for Tygh (who was filming elsewhere), be able to show and support the picture for Ori.
I can't see this being a big theatre release but if you get the chance to see it on DVD/VHS or a movie channel sometime over the next year, please check it out and support Canadian work as good as this.
Ori Kowarsky: a lost talent?
massimo_saidel7 June 2020
Caught this canadian indie at the Montreal Fim Festival-FFM back in 2002, where it received the prize for Best first film: a finely written and well crafted jewel to add to the crown of canadian jewish-themed films, from "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" to Lea Pool's "Emporte moi" or "Felix and Meira". Set in Vancouver one summer before law school, it pits the doubts of a good son having fallen in love with an unconventional non-jewish girl, against the orthodox certainties of his established lawyer-father. As in any apt variation on the theme, wether coming of age or life-turning drama, the film seeks out the gray touches, and sensibly hits several: family loyalties, duty or desire, even national allegiance (in one strong scene where the beleaguered father recalls the price & privilege of having a free homeland wanting you as citizen...). A sincere and likely autobiographical Canadian film to rediscover. Promising director Ory Kowarsky was already a graduate lawyer at the time of filming: where is he now, why only one film, which tent did he choose?
Great looking film from Various Positions
digital_nemesis21 October 2002
I caught this one at the Vancouver International Film Festival and has one of my local fav's Tygh Runyan (Antitrust, Disturbing Behavior and 15 Minutes). But most of all my favourite Vancouver actress, Carly Pope (Orange County, Disturbing Behavior and TV's Popular).
The movie was well written by Vancouver UBC student Ori Kowarsky, and avoided all Hollywood elements of a tragic love story between two twenty-something's that are restricted from seeing each other due to religious beliefs. More so than the writing being excellent for a small Canadian movie I was blown away by the filming in this show afterwards when the cast and crew announced it was filmed on HDTV (a DV format). This was stellar! Never once did I think this was something put together on DV and worked on later to look like film. So inspiring now that I'm deciding to start filming a few shorts as soon as next month. The color that was used in the movie had some very filtered film effects but still had a film grain texture to it that made a very warm looking picture. Another bonus was watching the opening credits and discovering that Tygh also did a portion of the score in the movie. It had a real ambient mellow tone that was very subtle and enjoyable.
Well let me get back to the cast and crew. Like I mentioned earlier the cast and crew were present after for a Q & A. I jokingly entertained the idea that Carly being an American teen idol would be present for the picture's premiere but was shocked to find out she showed up. She was just as stunning in person as on film. I think if she continues to do more independent pictures and story driven work she will be capable of sticking around a while longer as well unlike the rest of the nameless Popular cast. It was really great to see the entire cast except for Tygh (who was filming elsewhere), be able to show and support the picture for Ori.
I can't see this being a big theatre release but if you get the chance to see it on DVD/VHS or a movie channel sometime over the next year, please check it out and support Canadian work as good as this.
The movie was well written by Vancouver UBC student Ori Kowarsky, and avoided all Hollywood elements of a tragic love story between two twenty-something's that are restricted from seeing each other due to religious beliefs. More so than the writing being excellent for a small Canadian movie I was blown away by the filming in this show afterwards when the cast and crew announced it was filmed on HDTV (a DV format). This was stellar! Never once did I think this was something put together on DV and worked on later to look like film. So inspiring now that I'm deciding to start filming a few shorts as soon as next month. The color that was used in the movie had some very filtered film effects but still had a film grain texture to it that made a very warm looking picture. Another bonus was watching the opening credits and discovering that Tygh also did a portion of the score in the movie. It had a real ambient mellow tone that was very subtle and enjoyable.
Well let me get back to the cast and crew. Like I mentioned earlier the cast and crew were present after for a Q & A. I jokingly entertained the idea that Carly being an American teen idol would be present for the picture's premiere but was shocked to find out she showed up. She was just as stunning in person as on film. I think if she continues to do more independent pictures and story driven work she will be capable of sticking around a while longer as well unlike the rest of the nameless Popular cast. It was really great to see the entire cast except for Tygh (who was filming elsewhere), be able to show and support the picture for Ori.
I can't see this being a big theatre release but if you get the chance to see it on DVD/VHS or a movie channel sometime over the next year, please check it out and support Canadian work as good as this.
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