Amateur

AroView: Cult director Hal Hartley approaches the conventions of a thriller for his fourth film in further probing his fixation with dysfunctional romance and relationships.

Charismatic Hartley regular Martin Donovan plays an amnesiac caught in the intriguing web of two women - his indignant porn-star wife (Elina Lowenstein) whom he does not remember being married to, let alone exploiting, and a nymphomaniac virgin (Isobel Huppert). Lowenstein sports the same Louise Brooks bob that Uma did in Pulp Fiction, made the same year.

There is not a lot in the way of plot momentum – this instead has a rhythm of its own fueled by droll wit, outrageous irony and a super-cute cast. Anyone wanting a snapshot of 90’s hipster-ism should look no further than this.