Stories about con artist families speak to desperate times, and we’re apparently living through them, because each of the last three years have brought new cinematic entries to the genre.
First came Hirokazu Kore-eda’s delicate “Shoplifters,” followed by Bong Joon Ho’s zany “Parasite,” both of which centered on offspring wondering if their family values might be off-kilter.
Now comes Miranda July’s “Kajillionaire,”Elevated by an extraordinary Evan Rachel Wood performance that finds her character literally discovering her free will, “Kajillionaire” splits the difference between “Shoplifters” and “Parasite”: It’s an understated dramedy with bite, oscillating from the implication that family bonds are bullshit to the conclusion that everybody deserves a little tough love.It’s been 15 years since July’s acclaimed debut “Me and You and Everyone We Know,” and nine since “The Future,” but the prolific multimedia performance artist has maintained a striking clarity of vision during that time.
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