The Seven Faces of Jane (2022)

The Seven Faces of Jane (2022). 1h 33m

“The Seven Faces of Jane is a unique and experimental film that is powered mainly by its intriguing concept. The film is an improvised and collaborative work by eight directors, featuring Gillian Jacobs as the lead character, Jane, who is an actress and single mother. The film is essentially eight short films that revolve around Jane as she drops her young son off at day camp and spends the remainder of the day (and night) on a rambling journey.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film shifts gears between surrealist experiment, relationship drama, and psychological analysis, which is equally indebted to Freudu0026#39;s talking cure and a Tarot card deck. The whole thing is held together, loosely, by producer-impresario Roman Coppola, who initiated and oversaw the project, and by Jacobs, who appears in every segment and also directed the framing scenes. The directorial roster is rounded out by Alex Takacs; Romanu0026#39;s niece (and Francis Ford Coppolau0026#39;s granddaughter) Gia Coppola (u0026quot;Palo Altou0026quot;); filmmaker and visual artist Bomo Illuma; filmmaker/dancer/choreographer Ryan Heffington; Xan Cassavetes (u0026quot;Kiss of the Damnedu0026quot;); actor Julian Acosta; and Jacobsu0026#39; u0026quot;Communityu0026quot; castmate Ken Jeong.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe script was devised in the spirit of the u0026quot;exquisite corpseu0026quot; collaborative method, in which members of a group contribute words or images in sequence, sometimes without knowledge of what came before. As you can imagine, this kind of approach is at odds with any notion of neatness or overall consistency, and in fact, Roman Coppola has said that he exhorted every filmmaker to follow their own muse and be true to whatever their own vision of a segment happened to be.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCertain basic images or situations were selected in advance so that locations could be prepared, but beyond that, everyone had free rein. The result feels like a return to film school for industry veterans of varying ages and experience levels-an exercise, at times a lark. The cheerfully counterintuitive nature of the project provides whatever appeal it has while youu0026#39;re watching it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBest in show is a tie between Bomo Illumau0026#39;s segment, in which Jane meets an ex-lover named Tayo (Chido Nwokocha) on a beach where, ten years earlier, it became painfully apparent that racial and cultural differences (sheu0026#39;s white, heu0026#39;s Black) were fated to prevent them from going the distance; and Jeongu0026#39;s segment, which reunites Jacobs with u0026quot;Communityu0026quot; castmate Joel McHale as another of Janeu0026#39;s former flames. Illumau0026#39;s deployment of different textures, colors, and lighting schemes to contrast past and present evokes the work of Barry Jenkins, and itu0026#39;s remarkable.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOverall, The Seven Faces of Jane is a film that is not for everyone, but for those who are willing to take a chance on something different and experimental, it is worth watching. Itu0026#39;s a film that will make you feel a wide range of emotions and leave you with a lot to think about. Itu0026#39;s not a perfect film, but itu0026#39;s one that will stay with you long after youu0026#39;ve seen it.”