Sometimes real life situations are the most mundane and bizarre scenarios. With the film Showing Up it looks to infuse that aspect in the world of art which in itself can be a strange world. The film stars Michelle Williams, Hong Chau, Maryann Plunkett, John Magaro, Andrè Benjamin, James Le Gros, and Judd Hirsch from director Kelly Reichardt. Could this film offer up a hidden treasure worth seeing or is it too subjective to connect?

 

Showing Up follows a sculptor preparing to open a new show must balance her creative life with the daily dramas of family and friends, in Kelly Reichardt’s vibrant and captivatingly funny portrait of art & craft. 

 

I knew nothing about this film heading in other than the cast most notably Hong Chau who I have become a big fan of after here roles in The Menu and The Whale. Being an artist I fully expected it to be strange and quirky, but was really hoping for something special, but sadly I just struggled to connect with it.

 

I am not fully sure why as it isn’t a bad film by any means and the performances are great from everyone, but I just wasn’t able to invest in the characters and the story of their journey. Throughout its run time it moves at a snail’s pace by design but within this journey it was just never compelling enough to get me invested to where it was headed. It is a well-crafted film about this woman’s journey that has hints of genius, but for whatever reason I just found myself more bored than anything else.

 

This is one of those movies that will no doubt shine if it connects with the viewer, but gets lost in in its own attempt to be more than I felt like it actually was. I hoped that the ending would bring it all together to something with a bigger impact, but alas it just never did.

 

Decide for yourself and check out Showing Up when it hits theaters on April 21st from A24.