Storytelling follows two separate, unrelated stories of the angst, frustration, depression of the youth of today against two backdrops. In “Fiction”, Vi is a hip college teenager who allows herself to be exploited and abused by any guy, including her writing professor, in order to get inspiration for her creative writing class.
In “Non-fiction”, Toby Oxman is a hapless loser/shoe salesman who wants to be a famous documentary filmmaker. For his first project, Toby explores the dysfunctional Livingston family, focusing mostly on the oldest son Scooby, an alienated, hates-the-world, ticking-time-bomb, bisexual, high school student with dreams of being famous.
Storytelling is a 2001 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz. It features original music by Belle & Sebastian, later compiled on an album of the same name. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.
About the Story
The film consists of two stories that are unrelated and have different actors, titled “Fiction” and “Non-Fiction”. College and high school serve as the backdrop for these two stories about dysfunction and personal turmoil.
Fiction
“Fiction”, starring Selma Blair, is about a group of college students in a creative writing class taught by a professor (Robert Wisdom), who has affairs with his students.
Non-Fiction
“Non-Fiction”, starring Paul Giamatti and John Goodman, is about the filming of a dysfunctional suburban New Jersey family as their teenage son (Mark Webber) goes through the college application process.
Autobiography
The original version of the film featured a third story entitled “Autobiography”, concerning, among other things, a closeted football player (James van der Beek). The main character has an explicit sex scene with a male partner (Steven Rosen); the entire story was cut from the final version.
Storytelling (2002)
Directed by: Todd Solondz
Starring: Selma Blair, Leo Fitzpatrick, Robert Wisdom, Maria Thayer, Angela Goethals, Devorah Rose, Nancy Anne Ridder, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Paul Giamatti, Tina Holmes
Screenplay by: Todd Solondz
Production Design by: James Chinlund
Cinematography by: Frederick Elmes
Film Editing by: Alan Oxman
Costume Design by: John Dunn
Set Decoration by: Jennifer Alex Nickason
Art Direction by: Judy Rhee
Music by: Belle & Sebastian, Nathan Larson
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content, language and some drug use.
Distributed by: Fine Line Features
Release Date: January 25, 2002
Views: 201