Martin donovan6/20/2023 The former Poet Laureate is now trying his hand at online comedy, realizing that he can potentially reach a bigger audience with laughter than with this poetry. And it’s also where acclaimed, genius writer Simon Grim ( James Urbaniak), Fay’s brother, now hangs his hat and made his left turn career decision. The journey takes the young man to Seattle where Henry is rumored to be hiding out. And eight years on from that, Hartley closes the quirky saga with “ Ned Rifle,” which slightly improves on the predecessor but doesn’t come close to the freshness of the movie that started it all. Nine years later he returned with the sequel “ Fay Grim,” a far less successful effort (though one that’s actually underrated). It was perhaps the sharpest, most hilarious representation of the filmmaker’s distinctly offbeat aesthetics-his deadpan tone, the arch theatrically heightened mise en scene-and he wasn’t done with those characters and that world. ![]() In 1997, the filmmaker arguably reached the peak of his critical acclaim with “ Henry Fool,” walking away from the Cannes Film Festival with a Best Screenplay award. And for most of his career, Hartley’s stayed far away from the studio system (2001’s underrated “ No Such Thing” being an exception). The fiercely independent filmmaker established his unique voice on films like “ Trust,” “ Flirt,” and “ The Unbelievable Truth,” and forged an offbeat indie genre unto himself (though it’s never been in vogue). By this point, you’re either a Hal Hartley devotee, or you’re not.
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