'Elena undone' is pointedly impenitent in its purposeful, ham-fisted storytelling. I both love it and hate it - but more the former than the latter.
The writing is incredibly direct, in characterizations, dialogue, narrative, and themes, almost to a point of boorishness. That's emphasized by the presentation with pseudo-narration by one of the supporting characters, a "love guru," as he discusses the concept of soul mates.
This movie feels like an extra dramatic romance by way of The Hallmark Channel, smashed together with the forthright cheesiness of Lifetime and the soft focus of a slowburn 'Emmanuelle' feature - and the most blunt sociopolitical commentary sprinkled on top. Even the soundtrack put together by composer Mark Chait and music supervisor Jennifer Corday feeds directly into this very deliberate construction.
Let's be honest, anyone watching this is surely here for the lesbian representation. Film and TV is increasingly improving in that regard, yet we're still left wanting. Is the unabashed kitsch on display here worth it? That all depends on how willing a viewer is to engage with a feature this plainspoken.
I'll say this much: Stars Necar Zadegan (Elena) and Traci Dinwiddie (Peyton) have great chemistry together, handily selling the love between the two characters. That makes every conflict in the plot that much more awkward, but the somewhat unsatisfying ending more rewarding. And I'd love to see more features from both.
That it's almost too overbearing for its own good - well, that, too, is clearly a conscious film-making choice. 'Elena undone' is a movie that knows exactly what it is, and every potential audience member does, too. If this is for you, then you already know it.
The writing is incredibly direct, in characterizations, dialogue, narrative, and themes, almost to a point of boorishness. That's emphasized by the presentation with pseudo-narration by one of the supporting characters, a "love guru," as he discusses the concept of soul mates.
This movie feels like an extra dramatic romance by way of The Hallmark Channel, smashed together with the forthright cheesiness of Lifetime and the soft focus of a slowburn 'Emmanuelle' feature - and the most blunt sociopolitical commentary sprinkled on top. Even the soundtrack put together by composer Mark Chait and music supervisor Jennifer Corday feeds directly into this very deliberate construction.
Let's be honest, anyone watching this is surely here for the lesbian representation. Film and TV is increasingly improving in that regard, yet we're still left wanting. Is the unabashed kitsch on display here worth it? That all depends on how willing a viewer is to engage with a feature this plainspoken.
I'll say this much: Stars Necar Zadegan (Elena) and Traci Dinwiddie (Peyton) have great chemistry together, handily selling the love between the two characters. That makes every conflict in the plot that much more awkward, but the somewhat unsatisfying ending more rewarding. And I'd love to see more features from both.
That it's almost too overbearing for its own good - well, that, too, is clearly a conscious film-making choice. 'Elena undone' is a movie that knows exactly what it is, and every potential audience member does, too. If this is for you, then you already know it.