When I'm a Moth
2019 American film
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When I'm a Moth is a 2019 American independent drama film directed by Zachary Cotler and Magdalena Zyzak and starring Addison Timlin as Hillary Clinton, then Hillary Rodham.[1][2] The film is set in 1969 and depicts Rodham during the summer she worked in Alaska following her graduation from Wellesley College.[3] Cotler has stated that the film is "not a biopic".[4]
Magdalena Zyzak
Magdalena Zyzak
| When I'm a Moth | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Zachary Cotler Magdalena Zyzak |
| Screenplay by | Zachary Cotler |
| Produced by | Zachary Cotler Magdalena Zyzak |
| Starring | Addison Timlin |
| Cinematography | Lyn Moncrief |
Production company | The Winter Film Company |
Release dates |
|
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English Japanese |
Cast
- Addison Timlin as Hillary Rodham
- TJ Kayama as Ryohei
- Toshiji Takeshima as Mitsuru
Production and release
The film was shot in late 2016.[5] Its world premiere was on April 12, 2019, at the San Francisco Film Festival.[6] It was released by Dark Star Pictures on August 27, 2021 after a delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
Reception
The film received polarized reviews, attracting praise from independent critics,[8][9][10][11][12] and largely negative responses from more mainstream publications.[13][6][14] The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 36% based on 11 reviews.[14]
Several critics questioned the premise of the film, with Caryn James of The Hollywood Reporter calling the movie "pointless."[6][13][15] Dennis Harvey of Variety called the film "an insufferably pretentious arthouse drama."[13] Other critics disagreed, with reviewers at Hammer to Nail and Screen-Space considering the film an "experiment" and an attempt to analyze how Hillary Clinton is seen in America respectively.[11][16]
Some critics liked the script,[8] others considered it "pretentious."[17][18] Nonetheless, the cinematography was largely praised, with Film Threat calling it "beautiful."[19] The "atmosphere" created was considered a highlight by Less Hat, Moorhead and Movie Nation.[20][21] Addison Timlin's performance was also largely praised,[11][16] though Film Threat's review stated, "It's difficult to determine whether Timlin's aggravated rigidity is intentional or if she just can't act."[19]