Sure, Brother Born Again was not the best documentary, but I find some of the reactions from John, Jeffrey and Chris puzzling. Do you really think she was exploiting her familial situation in order to promote her career? I just don't see it, especially since she has not directed or produced anything since this film in 2001.
Here's what I think: Julia approached her problem from an angle in which she felt comfortable. As a graduate of Yale's Film Studies program and having spent time at the French National Film School, a documentary probably seemed the best way to give herself the "objectivity" she needed to approach Marc. I think there was a lot of hurt and anger under the surface (which isn't shown well enough in the film) that the notion of a documentary helped them overcome.
Do you not like when authors write personal stories? How is this different than someone writing about an emotional and personal situation?
There are many problems with Brother Born Again, chief among them is that it's just not that interesting or illuminating. But I don't see it as self-aggrandizing or disingenuous and it seems a far cry from the shallow glitz and glamor feel of reality TV - the spectacle of the real as Zizek might say.
Have any of you seen Prodigal Sons? Brandon and I both loved it. I'd be curious to know if you guys feel the same way about it as you do Brother Born Again.
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