"The Goddess of 1967" is a maddeningly pretentious film that tries too hard to capture the flair and dynamism of new-wave film-making without the artistry to back it up. The film's first half is almost unbearable, but there are some more conventional moments in the latter stages that lend the work some much needed credibility. Clara Law's directing technique is first-year film school stuff with a lot of unnecessary appendages that do little other than distract; and the story is a fairly stale reworking of tired old themes about betrayal, revenge and redemption built upon on a narrative of incest and sexual transgression. The Japanese sub-plot and characters seem tacked on to lend an air of otherness that seems redundant. The failure of the approach is emphasised by the weak script that often times reads likes poor poetry (I was reminded of David Brent's "Excalibur"). Even Rose Byrne's gorgeous face can do little to make this film watchable.
Review of The Goddess of 1967
