Tarnation Is Awkward Therapy

There's one nice thing you can say about Jonathan Caouette: reportedly making Tarnation for just over $200, he's clearly resourceful. The rest, however, is up for debate. Tarnation is being heralded as an experimental film, but there's really nothing new about the collage of home movies, film clips, photos and narration or the way that they're presented. It could be argued that Caouette is brave for making such an intensely personal, confessional and cathartic film about his relationship with his mentally ill mother, but it could also be said that he clearly enjoys the spotlight and Tarnation is simply a self-indulgent way for him to wallow in tragedy. This strange film is an interesting way to deal with a hard life, but the $200 might have been better spent on therapy.