Too much of everything

Best movie ever!

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The news of Joyce Vincent's body discovered in a flat in 2006, hit the British waves causing a shock to the system. Joyce died in her apartment just before Christmas 2003, packing presents and watching television, for three years no one noticed her disappearance, no one enquired about her, not even the landlord reacted to the constantly playing TV or the unpaid bills. However terrifying the vision was, it was just a story, as noted by her former friends, lovers and acquaintances that initially failed to connect the death with the Joyce they knew.The documentary by Carol Morey uncovers the person behind the story and attempts to explain not only the obvious shocking question: How can someone dissolve unnoticed from society? Instead it also fleshes out Joyce Vincent as a person, a human being with dreams and achievements. Probably most surprisingly Joyce Vincent turns out to be somewhat of an extrovert, a beautiful well-versed person of mixed race, who back in the days was loved and adored by many, even having at least two meaningful relationships. Her downfall turns out to be even more shocking given she was once heavily connected with the London musical circles and later on had a well-paid job in the financial sector. Despite these episodes of success, she ultimately spirals into oblivion - detached from her family and friends.Some may feel unsatisfied at how many questions regarding Joyce Vincent remain unearthed, as there is a large blank period just prior to her death. Not much is known as to why she dropped out of society or why she left her well-paid accountancy post to work as a cleaner. No one knows for whom the presents were being prepared. Not much is said about the abusive Polish boyfriend. But I feel that all these dark parts of Joyce Vincent, mysterious as they must be, would only distract from what is otherwise a sombre eulogy to her life, painting a picture of someone worth remembering, despite her ultimate failure. The sensitive approach with which Carol Morley approaches her story is remarkable, distinctly painting a picture of Joyce, molding her as a person and bringing her something she would have so hoped for: remembrance.The movie lingers in your memory, invoking questions about the society you live in, where despite being surrounded by warm and caring individuals (as much of Vincent's friends seem to be), she managed to fall through the social net of emotional co-dependence, which binds us all together. The story leaves us contemplating the frailty of our lives and the lucid relevance of who we are. On a personal note also left me all gooey and hugging my significant other - love and acceptance is all we need...

I was originally very interested in seeing this movie. the whole story of what may have happened to this woman. I can definitely understand why a film was made surrounding this mystery. I did not find it to be very interesting nor did my husband. the best term I can use it is mush.The flip flops between reenacted so called life experiences and muttering of friends about random encounters they had with her. it left me wondering so many times why is this even in this movie? It almost includes such boring details as weather she liked her eggs poached or fried. A lot of the details are random and do not connect. Nor does it conclude or give real details as to why some of her male relationships ended. Yet there were plenty of vague statements made by various exes.it leaves me curious as to what mundane details were edited. You were with her for years and the only thing you can say is how lovely she was and that you had some "good" times?The so called life experiences are drug out with super slow camera panning. SPOILER ALERT----- The entire movie focuses on how beautiful and enigmatic she was and yet humble. It also seemed confusing as to weather she was very promiscuous? There are certainly enough of this film that suggests that. A lot of dream sequence scenes are painfully long and downright corny. How many singing sadly alone with a brush sequences are needed to get the point across? This probably never happened. Lets not forget the sad and brutally slow dead eyed apartment scenes. From all accounts it suggests she was vivacious party girl. Over all, this was a dud. The movie could have been shortened to a half an hour. The real mystery lies in the fact her landlord didn't come busting her door down a month after she died. I am left to believe she was beautiful woman who knew it and didn't truly care about her relationships with others.

OK, the subject matter is awful. Woman is so far gone from society that even her "friends" don't look for her when she dies and sits in her apartment for 3 years. The social commentary alone is hard and we should really look at ourselves.But, the movie itself is awful. The way it was filmed was just bad. I grew tired of listening to her so-called "friends" talk about how great she was. Yeah, that's why you went looking for her when you didn't hear from her for 3 years. Hope I never have friends like that. The film made it sound like this woman's family had nothing to do with her. When, in reality, they hired a PI to find her AND were at the inquest into her death. More than her "friends" did. The majority of the film focused on the actress playing Joyce and speculating on what she did. They should have included more of the medical examiner's report, forensics, the friends and why they let her down, and her family. Instead, I was left with more questions. I got more answers from a quick Google search. Just look up the story and read about it instead.

I'm sure unnoticed deaths are far more common than we might assume. In this case, owing to the relative youth of the deceased and the length of time it took to discover her, there remain many unanswered questions. The young woman (38) was of Indian Asian/Grenadian extraction, having lost her mother at age 11 (when her mother was 41),and had been raised with 'aspirations' without having access to the routes that would accomplish what are likely to have been her parents' expectations. It's a very sad tale, sadder that her oldest friend was clearly still carrying a light for her. So, there she was, never really fitting in, not prepared to enter the 'black ghetto', not really being part of the Asian community and living on the margins of the white world - amongst all the other misfits. I suspect there was much that she did not understand and much that she would not know how to deal with as a result. She evidently tried to create an image that would act as a thin ediface of self-esteem whilst she tried to navigate her way through life. So sad that this may have undermined her health and brought about an untimely and unnoticed end. Full marks to Carol Morley in piecing the evidence together although this film doesn't quite keep your attention all through. Oddly, I was tempted to close my eyes a couple of times and would have dozed off if it had been on TV - quite ironic really!