● Anti-Note
• Sacramento, directed by Michael Angarano
The central issue (or rather, the main flaw) of the film lies in the filmmaker’s claim and motivation surrounding the core theme: the rekindling of a friendship between two old friends. This theme remains frustratingly undeveloped before the third act. By “undeveloped,” I don’t mean the film fails to plant the theme entirely (though that too is debatable), but rather, it’s the way it’s introduced that is problematic.
The theme of rekindled friendship gets lost amid the sub-themes: the burdens of adulthood and the fear of facing life’s realities. In fact, from the very beginning and through the character introductions, everything unfolds in an imbalanced and irritating manner.
What’s with the repeated shots of Glenn’s nervous breakdown? Is he mentally ill? What kind of marriage is this?
Another point: why is the filmmaker’s portrayal of this aspect of marital life—linked to the sub-theme—presented in such a way? Are these people truly in love, or has something been imposed on them?
In my view, the women in the film are entirely bodies, not souls—just as the men are essentially children. The two main female characters lack feminine depth, emotion, and decisiveness. They don't even function as proper archetypes.
But let’s consider the film visually for a moment. What’s the difference between the single shots and the two-shots? How much independence and identity do they carry?
I believe the characters are so underdeveloped and undefined that (almost) no frame successfully constructs the sense of a friendship—especially an old one. The images, like the characters themselves, lie. The relationships are blatantly unbelievable and artificial. Even the concern over having a child feels hollow. In reality, none of the film’s themes ever reach the point where the story and characters could genuinely be built around them.
