Namik Minter in AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY (Variance Films)

Music, Art Direction, Animation Direction, Edited, Written & Directed by Terence Nance
Produced by James Bartlett, Andrew D. Corkin & Nance
Released by Variance Films
USA. 84 min. Not rated
With Terence Nance & Namik Minter

The tender opening credits appear as hand drawn overlays over a beautiful sequence shot in the tunnels of the New York City subway. The film continues as a combination of remarkable animated sequences in a variety of mediums, ranging from rotoscope to stop-motion, and live-action stylized snippets from the director’s own love life. An Oversimplification of Her Beauty is an example of a simple story told in a complex way.

Writer/director Terence Nance stars in this superbly unique film-within-a-film that follows his trials in New York, negotiating the pitfalls of being in love with (many) women. We are introduced to a series of female archetypes—characters that we feel we’ve met before, both in life and art, though eventually it’s clear that it’s only one woman Terence is ultimately after. The story comes through a varied mixed media presentation with an omniscient narrator and occasional poetic voice-overs. Terence, the central wanderer, appears amid the whirlwind of different stages of his life with women, and we start to understand the details of the story as they materialize out of the ether.

The film is ostensibly from Terence’s point of view—a distinctly male voice. Yet the information never feels out of balance. The converse of the story is ever present, as Terence learns more about his relationship to women. What is the point of a relationship? What is the difference between a lover and a friend? These philosophical questions are explored in a minute, poetic way, forgoing the usual plot-based romances we see from Hollywood on a monthly basis. This experimental narrative is as emotionally resonant as anything out there.

Another beautiful maneuver the director has pulled off with this gem is to allow the unique details of New York City to emerge while telling a broad, universal tale. He places his man and woman in a very specific time and place, and we learn a great deal about the setting. We never think, though, of their experiences as unique—as anything that we might not experience for ourselves at one time or another.

Don’t be surprised if at first it’s a dense film to ingest. Remember the basic plot, and allow the unique storytelling method to take you in and surprise you by its insight. Allow the between-the-lines intricacies of the animation to eventually reveal what’s really happening below the surface of the words. And likewise, allow the words to sink in. There’s a beautiful, lyrical poem embedded in this film that is aching to be interpreted and remembered. And honestly, isn’t that the very thing all beautiful pieces of art are longing for?