Eating

I'd be tempted to call Henry Jaglom a cult director if I knew anyone else who was in the cult. With 16 feature films under his belt, he's one of the most prolific independent filmmakers working today but, as far as I can tell, he's already been forgotten. Light on plot and heavy on character, his films are best described by comparison to other films. So what exactly is Eating? Well, if you can imagine the divorcee support group scenes from Jerry Maguire co-directed by John Cassavetes and Robert Altman, you get the idea. If The Anniversary Party wasn't co-ed, it would be Eating.

Unfortunately, this is not Jaglom at his best. While most of his trademarks are on display -- acting that resembles an improv class, for example (not always a good thing) -- something appears to be missing...and I'm not talking about men. In fact, that's one of the few original ideas in the film. There just isn't much going on here. Jaglom has a good topic (the relationship between women and food) but not a good idea for a movie. That may explain why Eating often feels more like a topical episode of "Oprah" or "Dr. Phil" than a dramatic work with engaging themes and characters. It's enlightening and good-intentioned but it's also sloppy and repetitive.

New Video presents the film in a full frame transfer and, while I can't confirm that this is the correct ratio, there don't appear to be any major errors in framing. In the past, many of Jaglom's films have appeared in this ratio on DVD (ie. Sitting Ducks, Always, Babyfever) so this may well be his ratio-of-choice.

Other than a biography, the only feature on the disc is a commentary by Jaglom. This is arguably more informative and entertaining than the film itself. He begins by stating that he has "always been closer to women than men" but explains that he diverges from women when it comes to their obsession with food. He made the film in order to explore this difference but also to re-assure women viewers that they are not alone in their food-related crises. He also notes that Overeaters Anonymous was instrumental in the making of the film, providing many of the actors, most of whom share their own views and experiences onscreen.

Jaglom also tells a bizarre (and probably apocryphal) story about nationwide popcorn shortages that resulted from screenings of Eating. Apparently, many women went to see the film, felt better about their eating problems and, as a result, purchased excessive amounts of popcorn on the way out. In addition, the commentary includes a few Orson Welles anecdotes but nowhere near as many as there would be if Peter Bogdanovich had directed the film.

Regardless of how you feel about Jaglom's films -- personally, I like most of them but found Eating a bit disappointing -- he deserves credit for being one of the few true iconoclasts in the industry today. He's also an engaging and opinionated speaker, two qualities sadly lacking in commentaries these days. Be forewarned, though: while this is an enjoyable listen, Jaglom signs off long before the film ends and there are several lengthy gaps, even before he takes off. Still, taken together, the film and the commentary make an adequate, if not particularly filling, two course meal. -- Jonathan Doyle