''Shit Year'' is a 2010 American experimental drama film written and directed by Cam Archer and starring

Ellen Barkin Ellen Rona Barkin (born April 16, 1954) is an American actress and a producer. Her breakthrough role was in the 1982 film '' Diner'', and in the following years, she had starring roles in films such as ''Tender Mercies'' (1983), ''Eddie and the ...

. The film was screened at the Directors' Fortnight event of the

2010 Cannes Film Festival The 63rd Cannes Film Festival was held from 12 to 23 May 2010, in Cannes, France. The Cannes Film Festival, hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide, was founded in 1946. It consists of having films scr ...

Plot

After a successful career, actress Colleen West (Ellen Barkin) decides to retire and return to a life without so much adventure in a peaceful place. It is when a large building is installed in the vicinity and breaks the calm of the place. Mrs. West, then, realizes that the serenity of before all that would not return and that her life, in reality, was an entire stage, where everything and everyone were full interpretations. Seized by dissatisfaction, Colleen begins to feel as if she has lived her life through her characters staged on stages and on screens.

Cast

as Colleen West * Luke Grimes as Harvey West * Bob Einstein as Rick *

Theresa Randle Theresa E. Randle (born December 27, 1964) is an American actress. She has appeared in films such as ''Malcolm X'' (1992), '' Sugar Hill'', ''Beverly Hills Cop III'' (both 1994), '' Girl 6'', ''Space Jam'' (both 1996), ''Spawn'' (1997) and the '' ...

as Marion * Melora Walters as Shelly * Rickie Lee Jones as Narrator

Production

According to Archer, the film was shot in Los Angeles, with additional reshoots in Santa Cruz, California.

Reception

The film has a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Glenn Heath Jr. of ''

Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...

'' awarded the film three stars out of four. Eric Kohn of IndieWire gave the film a mixed review but praised Barkin's performance. Jay Weissberg of '' Variety'' gave a positive review and wrote that the film "stays engrossing thanks not only to Barkin’s strengths but also Archer’s compositional eye."

References

External links

* * American drama films American avant-garde and experimental films 2010s avant-garde and experimental films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films {{experimental-film-stub