A Sticky Woman

Film Review by Dean Duncan Jun 1, 2015

Great! Let me say that one more time. Great! This is a fabulous joke. Guy’s blocking and composition are sometimes kind of perfunctory. This time she has her principals—the officious lady, her obliging servant, and the guy who’s getting aroused by it all—come up into the foreground, while all the while bits of business go on behind. It’s perfectly framed, perfectly staged. The concept in question is fresh but not outlandish, a bit of an exaggeration on the absurdities of master-and-man, or rather mistress-and-woman. Bringing this guy in really opens things up, and then the payoff accomplishes the terrific trajectory of unexpected-becomes-inevitable. They get stuck! Naughty implications? Have it your way. Look at that kid come under and through, to look right at us before returning to the task at hand. The conclusion of the payoff is a terrific topper, in the compound comedy, James Agee sense. Of course! Hadn’t even thought of it, but now it’s wonderfully obvious. Terrific stuff.