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Tempus Narcissus

By David Edelstein
Posted Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000, at 1:46 PM ET

Who are these people?

Dang, Tony. Rosenbaum doesn't attack me? And I keep publicizing his book! What a f---ing ingrate.

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Jim, I didn't understand your calling Yi Yi television, either. For one thing, it's almost all long shots--and Yang is clearly trying to depict the ways in which the modern city is dividing people, compartmentalizing them, making all connections vaporous. That's not part of the TV aesthetic. (And I tried watching Yi Yi on TV, and it was Fuzz City.) Amy Taubin's description of You Can Count on Me is just lazy. If there's anything wrong with Kenneth Lonergan's writing (I don't think there's much), it's that it's too theatrical. TV doesn't do subtext.

I think Altman got a raw deal, Tony--I loved the whirligig Dr.T and the Women. But I agree with J. Hoberman about O Brother, Where Art Thou? My favorite Coen brothers movie is The Big Lebowski, a modern slacker-gumshoe classic that's like our generation's The Long Goodbye. In part it worked because Jeff Bridges was such a brilliant pothead asshole. Clooney in O Brother is just a hyperliterate dimwit, and the rest of the characters have even less comic stature. Feh.

David

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