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Personal Velocity |  | Actors: Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey, Fairuza Balk, John Ventimiglia, Ron Leibman
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy Used: $1.24
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New (29) Used (55) Collectible (1) from $1.24
Seller: abundatrade
Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 13088
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 85 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 027616883599
UPC: 027616883599
EAN: 0027616883599
ASIN: B00008972R
Theatrical Release Date: 2001
Release Date: March 18, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com
Personal Velocity is actually three short digital films, a trio of superb character portraits: Delia (Kyra Sedgwick, Something to Talk About, Singles), a former bad girl who musters the will to leave her abusive husband; Greta (Parker Posey, Party Girl, Best in Show), a book editor who finds that success in her career leaves her dissatisfied with her unambitious husband; and Paula (Fairuza Balk, The Craft, Gas Food Lodging), a young woman whose narrow escape from a car accident makes her question her life. With small, deft touches, writer-director Rebecca Miller (Angela) reveals a lot of about who these women are and how they live. Miller's gift for compression turns these short stories into rich examinations of contemporary culture, finding humor as well as pathos in the choices these women face. All three actresses turn in outstanding performances, clearly delighted to embody such well-drawn characters. --Bret Fetzer
Product Description
PERSONAL VELOCITY (DVD/WS/16X9/5.1/ENG-FREN-SPAN-S
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 29
 A Movie That Provokes Thought May 13, 2003
ZVON
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
This movie is the story of three woman, told in separate segments. Each of the characters has to some extent engaged in self-delusion as to who they really are as persons and each one finds herself in the midst of a major life crisis. As each character deals with their situation, they begin to find out who they really are as persons and to find a possible path to self liberation, happiness and fulfillment in their lives.
Delia(Kyra Sedgwick), is an abused wife and mother, who finds personal liberation by finding the courage to finally leave her abusive husband, and then rediscovers her personal dignity and power through her sexuality.
Greta(Parker Posey), is a wife and daughter, who has lost touch with herself, first by being caught in the middle in a struggle between her powerful, ambitious father and her weaker, more fragile mother for her love and affection, then later in an act of rebellion against her father, by ending up in a loving but passionless marriage in which she has suppressed all her own personal ambitions. An opportunity for success rekindles in her all her own passions and ambition, as she struggles to finally break free from the influence of her parents, to come to terms with her husband and marriage and to be who she really is as a person.
Paula(Fairuza Balk) is a young woman, who finds herself pregnant and who after a terrible accident, in a state of shock starts out on a journey to try and escape and make sense of what is happening to her. An encounter with an abused runaway, helps her refocus on her own plight and discover her own ability to care about others besides her self.
All the acting in the film is excellent, but Parker Posey as Greta really stands out. This is the first film that makes use of Parker's ability as an actress to convey emotion and internal conflict, without dialog, simply by the expression on her beautiful face, and it is absolutely stunning to watch. She turns Greta, who could have been very unsympathetic, into a character that one can care about.
The film looks and sounds beautiful on DVD. The DVD extras include a nice commentary by Rebecca Miller, and a wonderful conversation with Parker, Fairuza, Kyra and Rebecca about the characters and the making of the movie.
This beautifully written, beautifully acted movie is very intelligent and very complex. One that makes the viewer think deeply. Which in an age of almost total shallowness in the majority of films (all flash, no thought!), a movie that stimulates thought is a true breath of fresh air.
There are no tight, neatly wrapped up endings in this movie, you have no way of knowing if the characters have made the right choices in their lives. This makes it tough for audiences and critics to embrace this movie, but if you do look deeply at it, and think about it, you will come to appreciate and love it.
Movie for Women But What A Movie! February 2, 2006
O. Brown (Twopeas, WA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
*****
This is a rave review for an unusual movie. One of the previous reviewers said that the more she thought about the movie, the more she liked it. I feel the same way.
This is the story of three women at pivotal points of their lives. The three women are not linked except that the movie takes place at the same point in time for all of them. One woman is escaping a domestic violence situation from a man she loves. Another woman is very ambitious and sexual, trying to reconcile who she is with who she thinks she is supposed to be. The third woman is dealing with trauma and what she has made of her life. All three situations are thought-provoking and beautifully portrayed by the accomplished actresses in their roles.
I rented this movie, watched some of the Special Features, and then ordered it on Amazon. I truly loved this movie. I'm not sure how men might view this film; although some are reviewers, I have difficulty understanding how men might appreciate and empathize with the depth of this movie, which is exclusively from a female perspective. I think that most women will enjoy not only the depth of exploration of women's life situations, feelings, and complexity. I don't think that this film is appropriate in any way for children; I think children will find it dull and not understand its themes. In addition, there are adult situations (including abuse, masturbation, and violence) that make it inappropriate for children; none of these are gratuitous, however, and all contribute to make this movie as powerful as it is.
This is a haunting and beautiful movie for thinking and feeling women, and for those men that can appreciate powerful filmmaking even when it involves female themes.
super women February 27, 2003
Blair Mastbaum (Portland, Oregon)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is an extraordinarily intimate and moving film about three women each at a crucial axis in their lives. It's beautifly shot with a great style that completely puts you in the heads of these totally real and original characters. This is a film ultimately about courage. This film is so much better then The Hours, which shares many of same themes and a similar structure to this film but Person Velocity isn't maudlin and manipulative like The Hours. Parker Posse is absolutely great as Greta, absolutely one of the best performances of the last year. She deserves way more recognition for this performance then she received.
What's moving your life? August 22, 2003
Michelle Pettit
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Many of these reviews have given detailed descriptions of what the stories are about...so I won't delve more into that aspect. I want to add to that though the unifying feature to the three stories -- which is finding what is "moving" each of these characters forward. It is admirable that the movie doesn't give the answers, just gives the human beings. Of the three I found the last story -- Paula and the hitchhiker, to be the most moving, and redeeming. The connection between Paula and the wounded character played by Lou Taylor Pucci is palable and heartbreaking -- conveyed by their eyes. It is about feeling for another person -- and in the feeling Paula expresses (now emerging from her state of shock) she identifies with the hurt she sees in the boy. She sees how vulnerable he is -- notices he is just like a little boy, just a baby -- and had been hurt, tortured really -- then she wants to take him home and protect him. The boy can't trust that, however. Both actors had heartbreaking, expressive eyes -- and it is enlightening to see a film about love that is not about sex, but about caring and protecting another.
Fine acting, interesting, subtle November 26, 2004
Noelle Eiram (Vermont, United States)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
'Personal Velocity: Three Portraits' is a touching and beautiful film that manages to remain unsentimental. The three heroines are complex and believable, as are all characters in the film, though most others are given only a surface glance. The acting is so well done, though, that even minor characters almost betray their backrounds with no words.
Kyra Sedgwick plays Delia, a hard woman with a beautiful rear and a realistic attitude. Delia's story is a strong opening tale. Each story gives a brief boigraphy of its protagonist, and Delia's backstory is lightheartedly told. However, her past, and certainly her present, are heavy, and viewers see that her independence as a girl saves her in her adulthood. Sedgwick is viscerally real.
Parker Posey is Greta. Greta's episode works well as a middle installment. It is not as dramatic as Delia's, but it is, in some ways, more depressing. Greta is a cookbook editor whose main antagonist is herself. She is intelligent, financially comfortable, and ambitious. Greta realizes that the lattermost quality, along with her tendency to stray from her devout spouse, must be met and dealt with. Posey is an understated and sympathetic Greta.
The final episode features Fairuza Balk as a young, troubled woman with a compassionate heart. This is in some ways the strongest story, but I think that it is simply a solid conclusion. Paula (Balk) finds herself wandering in her car after witnessing a devastating car accident, the only aspect that connects the three portraits. Paula's story is at the same time the most grim and the most upbeat. She ends up being the kindest of the three characters, perhaps only because of her experiences.
Families are prominently featured in this movie. As stated above, every part is well acted, from Delia's high school friend to the detached hitchhiker that Paula picks up. An artistic device used beginning in the opening shots involves freezing the frame like a snapshot. In this film, it is affective, and is not a gimmick.
The three portraits are subtly connected, and there is no blatant summation. I found many of the choices made, including using a male voiced narration instead of a female voice-over, interesting and appropriate. This movie is recommended, but do not expect a certain kind of movie: let it surprise you.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 29
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