New Year's Day

New Year's Day (1989)

Sub-Genres - Psychological Drama  |   Release Date - Dec 13, 1989 (USA)  |   Run Time - 89 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - R
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Review by Craig Butler

It goes without saying that a Henry Jaglom film is not for everyone, and New Year's Day is no exception. Those who find Jaglom long winded and obsessively egocentric will find nothing in Day to disabuse them of this belief; it is also true that, unlike in Jaglom's better work, Day lacks a sense of perspective -- that Jaglom and/or his characters have some knowledge of the fact that they may just be whining a bit too much about matters that are not of the greatest consequence. Day also will not win over anyone who thinks that Jaglom simply doesn't know how to pace his films for any kind of pay-off or how to allow a scene to build in a manner that is cinematically gratifying. All that said, however, Day does have a certain structural looseness that is somehow appealing, and if Jaglom's pacing is bizarre, it's also undeniably his own and feels right in the context of his films. Even the self-obsessed nature of his characters -- and especially of Jaglom's own -- has a certain appeal for those that are willing to give in to his worldview. Day also features a lovely, winning performance by Maggie Jakobson, a very amusing bit by Michael Emil, a surprising turn form Milos Forman and a full-frontally nude David Duchovny. Not for all tastes, Day will be welcomed by the small but dedicated Jaglom cult.