The Girl

Adapted from a short story by French-born feminist literary theorist Monique Wittig and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Sande Zeig, this stylish trifle is almost crushed by the weight of its ideological underpinnings. Wittig has written frequently about the need to reinvent language in order to free perceptions of gender and sexuality from heterosexist social constructs, and this intensely self-aware film seeks to reinvent classic film noir iconography, starting with the smoke-wreathed opening credits. Unfortunately, the result is little more than a glossy parlor trick, a stripped-to-the-bone Of Human Bondage recast with two women. The plot is simplic...