FRANCOPHRENIA (OR: DON’T KILL ME, I KNOW WHERE THE BABY IS) (James Franco, Ian Olds, USA). 70 minutes. Rating: NNN
James Franco’s Francophrenia is guaranteed to infuriate anyone who wants to take it for more than what it is: the wisecracking, self-indulgent video experimentations of a celebrity who attends grad school and studies the nothingness of nothing.
While on the set of a General Hospital episode that never aired (Franco’s involvement seems like a prank), the actor wears all his hats: philosophy student, celebrity, character (also named Franco) and director (a role that also becomes a character within the film).
It’s a disingenuous attempt to pile on layer after layer of multiple, confused, colliding variations of the same person . Franco (the man himself) is clearly having fun with them – all at his own expense. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t, too.RS
May 1, 11:30 pm, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema May 2, 10 pm, TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 May 5, 9:45 pm, Royal Cinema.
