WillFull (2002)

Absolutely Fantastic

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

WILLFULL was the first directorship for "Priscilla" exec producer Rebel Penfold Russell whose lively relationship with her own mother provides the raucous thrust of most of the comedy here. A reasonable budget shows in the lush look and style; Anne Looby especially as the Mame like mother returning to haunt her estranged daughter offering all sorts of impractical advice. It is actually a romance between Mother and Daughter and when pitched to that audience scores well. Male reviewers in Australia disliked the film and loudly said so, unfortunately they were in the majority of the media. Women loved it because they related so well. Released here at the same time as Ya Ya Sisterhood it deserved the bigger audience. The DVD is great to view especially for the art direction and the clothes. Previous effort from Russell and her co Producer Vicki Watson was the very funny family film PAWS.

Cat is part of a team of Anthony Robbins style, personal-empowerment seminar speakers. The team--led by the charismatic young guru Nat Wolf, who is also Cat's boyfriend--is about to launch a large seminar in Sydney, Australia. Cat, however, receives news that her estranged mother, Katya, has died of cancer. She returns to familiar settings and painful memories only to have her mother's ghost begin to pester her. The lovely Katya--who has chosen to appear in the body she had when she was 36--was never much of a mother, but she does know how to liven up a party. Cat must make peace quickly or be driven loopy by her mother's relentless antics."WillFull" is a playful film that focuses on its vivid characters and their relationships. The superb cast is led by Anna Lise Phillips as Cat and Anne Looby as the incorrigible ghost of Katya. Rebel Penfold-Russell (who also produced "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert") directs with an eye for color and exuberance. Much of the film's comedy comes from the ghost's interaction with Cat at inappropriate moments--an old gag, but Penfold-Russell keeps the laughs fresh throughout.There is, however, one significant flaw. After taking us into some unexpectedly deep emotional territory with Cat, the film's ending resorts to cheap psychological scapegoating to provide the main characters with what can only be a superficial catharsis. Thus the story comes off feeling synthetic and disposable, rather than becoming the genuine and endurable thing it could have been.

This movie was just beautiful! Cat is a motivational speaker working with her lover, who's like a Tony Robbins. Her mother Katya, a free spirit, has just died of cancer; they're relationship was rocky at best. Cat has returned home to Sidney for a speaking engagement. Katya starts appearing and hitting Cat's buttons all over again.As the director, who was at the screening, describes the movie, it's a drama with some funny scenes, not a comedy with dramatic scenes.It's fascinating watching the development of the relationship between the two women and the interactions with the other people in their lives.