In a Berlin Film Festival review of Filth and Wisdom, the first feature directed by Madonna, Times Online critic James Christopher has waxed mixed-positive. Wait…is that an accurate way to characterize? It’s almost a pan but with a Valentine flourish. Like Christopher was staggered by the fact that it was a lot better than expected, which led to his writing from a generous (i.e., relieved) state of mind.
“Despite its many shortcomings and an ending so mushy and neat it would embarrass Richard Curtis, Madonna has done herself proud. Her film has an artistic ambition that has simply bypassed her husband, the film director Guy Ritchie. She captures that wonderfully accidental nature of luck when people√ɬ¢√¢‚Äö¬¨√¢‚Äû¬¢s lives intersect for a whole swathe of unlikely but cherishable reasons. ‘Altmanesque’ would be stretching the compliment too far, but Filth and Wisdom shows Madonna has real potential as a film director.”