“Molly’s Theory of Relativity” is a film that may not be for everyone. It’s not a straightforward story but for those who are familiar with surrealist cinema and are the type to talk it over with friends of their thoughts and what they got out of the movie, this is where I believe is the efficacy of Jeff Lipsky’s latest film. Surreal, yet fascinating, “Molly’s Theory of Relativity” is a film worth giving a try!
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TITLE: Molly’s Theory of Relativity
RELEASE OF FILM: 2013
DURATION: 101 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: 1:78:1, Stereo
COMPANY: Adopt Films
RELEASED: October 22, 2013
Written and Directed by Jeff Lipsky
Starring:
Sophia Takal as Molly
Reed Birney as Asher
Cady Huffman as Natasha
Nicholas Lampiasi as Chet
Adam LeFevere as Boris
Lawrence Michael Levine as Zak
Tom Morrisey as Uncle Eli
Rebecca Schull as Sylvie
Daisy Tahan as Ruby
Molly’s Theory of Relativity is a sexy, funny, surreal, and devastating portrait of a beautiful twenty-eight-year-old astronomer who, having unexpectedly lost her job, is poised to make perhaps the first reckless decision of her life. Her story unfolds during an eighteen-hour period, on Halloween. Providing counsel on the fateful day are her husband, her father-in-law, three deceased relatives, a precocious nine-year-old trick-or-treater, her grandfather from Minot, North Dakota, and a six-year-old neighbor, who may or may not be imaginary. “Molly’s Theory of Relativity” is about the economy, and how we value what we do for a living, to ourselves and to 6 others. It’s observes the unbreakable bonds of family, and posits the notion that death is merely a relative thing.
From independent filmmaker Jeff Lipsky (“Childhood’s End”, “Flannel Pajamas”, “Once More With Feeling”, “Twelve Thirty”) is back with his latest film “Molly’s Theory of Relativity”.
The surreal and humorous film will now be released on DVD on Oct. 2013 courtesy of Adopt Films.
“Molly’s Theory of Relativity” revolves around two individuals, Molly (portrayed by Sophia Takal) and Zak (Lawrence Michael Levine), a married couple who are visited by Zak’s estranged father Asher (portrayed by Reed Birney).
Zak has strong, negative emotional feelings towards his father for not being there for him when he was young and also the way he behaved towards his mother. Meanwhile, Molly is an astronomer who lost her job. Both she and Zak often have sex at home, experimenting with anal sex while Molly tries to imagine the neighbor on the other side of the hall.
The film then moves on to Halloween Day when her father-in-law Asher comes to visit, but then are visited by Molly’s dead mother Nathasha (portrayed by Cady Huffman) and later with her deceased grandmother Sylvie (portrayed by Rebecca Schull) and her deceased Uncle Eli (portrayed by Tom Morrissey).
Because it is Halloween, the group are visited and entertained by the intelligent, young Ruby (portrayed by Daisy Tahan) who is dressed as Einstein for Halloween and her guardian Boris (portrayed by Adam LeFevre) and are later joined by Chet (portrayed by Nicholas Lampiasi), the kid next door, who Ruby takes a liking too.
While both Zak and Molly are able to communicate with their deceased ones, the question is who is dead or alive and what both Molly and Zak learn of each other that night and how it will change them forever?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Molly’s Theory of Relativity” is featured in 1:78:1 aspect ratio and Dolby Digital Stereo. For the most part, the film is primarily shot in an apartment (living room/dining room, kitchen, stairwell and bathroom). Scenes are well-lit and for the most part, looks good on DVD.
Audio is primarily dialogue driven and is clear and understandable.
There are no subtitles included on this DVD.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Molly’s Theory of Relativity” comes with the following special features:
- Audio Commentary – Featuring audio commentary by Jeff Lipsky.
- Electronic Press Kit – Featuring Jeff Lipsky explaining the film and interviews with the cast of the film.
- Theatrical Trailer – (2:31) Theatrical trailer for “Molly’s Theory of Relativity”.
“Molly’s Theory of Relativity” is a fascinating film by filmmaker Jeff Lipsky. A surreal film that is intelligent yet complicated story about people tapping into their human child.
While what happens during the film requires quite a bit of thought on the audience’s part, suffice to say that while the deceased are a product of Molly’s imagination, it goes against usual convention because Zak, Ruby and Asher can see the deceased. Which leaves you thinking, which one of these people are deceased or are they all deceased.
The primary discussion during dinner on a Halloween night, either happened or didn’t happen. And for those who are not into surreal films, may find the storyline to confusing, while those who familiar with surreal films, try to understand what is going through Molly’s psyche.
What we do know that is real is both individuals are in love, love to experiment with sex and their windows are covered by cardboard, while written on their wall is their wishlist, which anal sex is a scene that both are trying to have (note: both real life couple Sophia Takal and Lawrence Michael Levine as Molly and Zak have great chemistry and thus, their sex scenes look natural).
But what I take from the film and this is my personal opinion are that the characters of Molly and Zak and their ideas of the people they come in contact are what they want to have and somehow, the personalities they had as a child or are their inner child.
I don’t really think Zak and his father Asher really met with each other, while in the film, they have this long discussion. Both estranged father and son have issues and I think that Zak craves for his father’s love and must have missed out on a lot of that connection because in one scene, there is his father scrubbing adult Zak in the bathtub. I look at these moments with the father as a discussion and moment that Zak had wish he would have with his father and he has that opportunity to communicate with him.
Communication with his father in the film allows him to vent out his frustration and anger that he had bottled in but also to have this relationship he wished he would have had as an adult, as well as the life he would have had with his father as a child.
Molly is the same way. Does Ruby really exist or does Ruby represent Molly’s inner-child. We know that Ruby has a high level of maturity and intelligence, but the fact that she is able to see the dead, makes me feel that this person does not exist. This is Molly’s way of having a night with her deceased love ones that will always be part of her life and the people who make her quite comfortable, while Ruby is a person that she wants to nurture and help, because she either sees Ruby as a younger person like herself or it is her, and she’s dealing with issues and feelings from her past.
But by the end of the film, it helps them deal with important issues that both have had, not for each other but for themselves. Knowing that they need to move on and the ways they move on, may be opposite of each other.
Of course, this is one of those films which requires one to have their own perspective and literally the person coming away with what they think the film is about. In the audio commentary, Jeff Lipsky said you can think of it as “magical realism” but I look at the film as a surreal way of both individuals thinking ways of how to communicate with individuals who are no longer in their lives or their inner selves.
Overall, “Molly’s Theory of Relativity” is a film that may not be for everyone. It’s not a straightforward story but for those who are familiar with surrealist cinema and are the type to talk it over with friends of their thoughts and what they got out of the movie, this is where I believe is the efficacy of Jeff Lipsky’s latest film. Surreal, yet fascinating, “Molly’s Theory of Relativity” is a film worth giving a try!
