“Monogamy” reviewed 7 April 2010 by Ted Faraone

Two stars out of five; $4.00 ticket on a scale of $0 to $12.75.

“BIGAMY” COULD HAVE BEEN THE SEQUEL IF THIS  WERE ANY GOOD

“Monogamy,” the Tribeca Film Festival Entry by helmer Dana Adam Shapiro, is a silly movie.  It is trite.  That’s too bad because it has the makings of a modern film noire along the lines of Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation,” or at the very least “The Parallax View” (dir. Alan J. Pakula, 1974).  A juvenile screenplay by Shapiro and Evan M. Wiener saps its potential, and a competent cast is burdened by the subpar material.

Theo (Chris Messina), a Brooklyn wedding photographer, has a bizarre sideline:  He shoots photo documentaries of the lives of clients.  He follows them about like a paid stalker and photographs them candidly, without being seen.  For most it’s an ego trip.  Then along comes a client (Meital Dohan) with the internet handle, “Subgirl.”

At this point one may as well leave the theater.  Anyone who knows what “Subgirl” means in the “alternative lifestyle” has already figured out the ending.

Subgirl hires Theo to shoot her as she does sexually provocative things -- exposes herself, pleasures herself in public -- gets together with a man (Paul Diomede) in what appears to be a street pickup; the encounter gets rough before the pair have sex in a Town Car.

A subplot involves the effect of Theo’s deepening obsession with Subgirl on fiancée Nat (Rashida Jones).  It’s not positive.  An odd staph infection, result of a finger cut while cooking, puts Nat in hospital.  This plot device sets up Theo’s growing neglect of her -- all due to his silly obsession.

Rest of plot can be dispensed with quickly.  Theo’s obsession drives him to learn what auds already know -- that he is shooting a classic D/s role-play relationship used by a happy couple to spice up their marriage.  It also leads to the breakup of his engagement and an equivocal ending.

Much is made in pic’s press notes of being entirely shot on location in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan.  The appeal to Gotham esprit de corps is a weak one at best and no substitute for a better pic. 

“Monogamy” is shot on a shoestring budget estimated at $1 million.  It shows.  Far too many two-shots cry out for cutaways.  Otherwise tech credits are adequate.  So are supporting players.

“Monogamy” is not yet rated, nor does it have distribution at this writing (13 June 2010).  Subject matter is not suitable for children.  Pic itself is unsuitable for wide distribution.  Send this one straight to pay-per-view.

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