Focus Features
There’s no reason at all that ‘quirky’ characters should be limited to the movies of a bunch of odd dudes trying to be ‘interesting’. There’s no reason that only male characters should have ‘particular acting choices’ that seem odd and intentionally off-putting. No reason to have only straight relationships in a quirky movie, and no reason simply to take things in an expected direction.
Kajillionaire comes from writer/director Miranda July and starts us off with a very odd trio. We follow for a little while three grifters and scammers — Robert (Richard Jenkins) and Theresa (Debra Winger) with their daughter Old Dolio (Evan Rachel Wood), who they have raised to be another oddball grifter. The two parents are clearly unusual, caring little about normal society and morals, instead trying to squeeze every cent and steal constantly.
Old Dolio (even her name is due to, we discover later, a scam when her mother was pregnant) dresses conservatively in ill-fitting clothes, and Evan Rachel Wood has given her a particularly flat, deep affect that keeps her standing more apart than she already seems. Things begin to change just a little, as Old Dolio is forced by necessity to go to a sort of prenatal therapy group where she experiences something different: empathy.
Because Old Dolio clearly is starved for affection and touch — when she tries to take advantage of a free massage, she cannot handle the light touches of the masseuse without arching her back and gritting her teeth in discomfort. So the movie goes for a little while, and it’s a little blank, a little grey, and a little sad — these three people seem doomed for nothingness.
But then due to another scam, the parents happen to be on a plane sitting next to a vivacious young(er) lady named Melanie (Gina Rodriguez) who is charming them to their limited way of handling it. But after they view Melanie get hit on by a random stranger, they immediately confide in her about their scam — already a weird move, but part of this is how charismatic and attractive she is.
So naturally Old Dolio is put off by this new dynamic, and the movie becomes a lot more interesting as Melanie’s far more grounded, electric energy pushes back against the low key, weird energy of the grifter family. Soon new relationship dynamics form, and Old Dolio begins to strain against her horrible upbringing to be free, in one way or another.
There are messages and themes here, and some feel quite resonant and relevant, despite the situation. The movie has an uncomfortable feeling for a while, and it feels mostly dulling once you realize what’s going on with the terrible parents and their awkward 26-year-old daughter. But the second half of the movie really works.
The parents here are a mixed bag — Richard Jenkins is great in his mousey, squirrely role, but Debra Winger’s role is far more underwritten. Evan Rachel Wood is always great, even if I’m not entirely sure that her voice choice is really working effectively. But her rapport and dynamic with Gina Rodriguez is great, and I feel like that’s where the movie really shines.
It’s an odd sort of movie in a lot of ways — the ‘grifts’ are pretty mild and not very exciting, but ultimately it does feel like it’s giving you some sort of much needed catharsis.
Kajillionaire has a run time of 1 hour 44 minutes and is rated R for some sexual references/language.
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