The Invisible Circus (R, 2001)

It's 1977, and 18-year old Phoebe decides to uncover the truth about her sister Faith's mysterious death. So she heads to Europe (where the tragedy occurred) and eventually meets Faith's former boyfriend (Christopher Eccleston). As the story unfolds, Phoebe discovers that Faith (Cameron Diaz) was involved in an anarchist movement before accidentally precipitating a man's death (an event that pushed her literally over the edge).

The Invisible Circus takes a pretty dim view of '60s politics, but it still can't help nostalgically portraying the period as the lost era of enlightenment. The movie seems more interested in leaving the idealistic myth of the Age of Aquarius intact, and so the explanation for Faith's tragic death becomes increasingly tangential to the story. Instead, the movie focuses on Phoebe's growing sexual interest in her sister's onetime love, which turns a political thriller into an adolescent love story.

 

Because the film has two disconnected narratives--Faith's story, told in flashbacks, and Phoebe's story from six years later---it lacks the drive that would make up for its plot weaknesses. Just when one plot gets going, it's interrupted to make time for the other.

Studio: Fine Line Features
Director: Adam Brooks
Cast: Blythe Danner, Cameron Diaz, Jordana Brewster
Genre: Drama
Run time: 94 minutes
Theatrical release: December 2, 2001
DVD release: December 2, 2001
MPAA Rating: R
MPAA explanation: sexuality, language, and drug content