The second Poetic Justice begins, its director riffs on what mainstream, largely white audiences expect out of a romantic drama, before immediately segueing into what mainstream, largely white audiences expect out of a John Singleton picture. It's an opening sequence that's as harrowing and virtuosic as anything in Boyz n the Hood, and it has storytelling value beyond its meta commentary, but the film then shifts into its true mode, that of a languorous road movie in which relationships ebb…

Years removed from Don Jon's release, I still get such a high from its first act: the onscreen fantasy of casting yourself as a romantic lead opposite Scarlett Johansson is perfectly matched by the behind-the-scenes fantasy of a first-time director being gifted unlimited freedom to put whatever he wants into thousands of theaters, executed with a blast of uproarious comedy and nonstop style. That the rest of the film fails to maintain that energy is almost a given, but it…

UPDATE/JANUARY 16, 2020: I was 20 years old when I posted this review. Since then, I've learned a lot more about cinema, made a few films myself, and aged seven years. I would not write a review like this today, though I must admit that I still find this one amusing. Carry on!
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To say that Holy Motors has been praised would be the understatement of the century. It has been discussed and interpreted more than probably any other…