Seeking Dolly Parton

I still think the lesbian conception dramedy is an over-represented subgenre. Why are there so many of these movies in such a specific category? My thoughts on the subgenre didn’t stop me from going into Seeking Dolly Parton with good will. I liked the first act. I thought some of the jokes were clever! But what followed was a forgettable second act and a weird, rushed final act. Its uneven nature ultimately makes Seeking Dolly Parton one of the weaker entries in its specific category.

Most of the plot of this film is covered by the fact that it’s a lesbian conception story. Female couple Charlie and Cerina want to be parents. But for Cerina especially, her fantasy of motherhood is more traditional than anonymous sperm donation would allow. Cerina’s preferences ultimately lead to the very stupid decision of using her ex-boyfriend, Josh as their sperm donor. Josh isn’t over Cerina. And Cerina admits she’d still probably be with him if it wasn’t for the lesbian thing. So, this is a foolish path forward. Then, Charlie and Cerina double down on the idea by inviting Josh to move in.

Obviously, conflict fuels stories. If everyone made all the right decisions all the time, that would probably be a boring story. That being said, I couldn’t get on board with this couple using an ex as their sperm donor. When Cerina floats the idea as a hypothetical it leads to an argument that reveals some cracks in their relationship foundation. But they just keep trucking forward. It’s hard to get on board with a story that really shouldn’t exist if anyone was sensible. Even if you don’t want to go the anonymous sperm route, there are other paths to conception significantly less messy than the one Charlie and Cerina absurdly commit to.

This plot could and has worked better. But Seeking Dolly Parton is not a strong example of this plot. The set-up is the strongest element. The film has some good characters who can land a punchline. But the story is paced really weird. The second act largely dispenses with the solid comedy of the first act. The ending is rushed, messy and emotionally unsatisfactory. Worse still, the third act kicks off because of a deeply contrived moment. Cerina’s brother confronts Josh and tells him that this story doesn’t have a happy ending. This literal acknowledgement of the story structure drags Josh back into the narrative. Then, we get the emotional climax which is cliche and unremarkable.

Topping it all off, Seeking Dolly Parton has some pretty poor cinematography. There are so many dialogue scenes that are shot from absurd distances. The camera is often literally across the street from the characters. These scenes could definitely use some close ups or a shake-up of camera angles for interest and emotion. All these static wide shots read less like a creative choice and more a choice of necessity. Maybe these were the only clean takes they got? Something’s gone wrong there if that’s true.

Seeking Dolly Parton almost got a passing grade, but there isn’t enough to recommend here. In a subgenre I’m already not partial to, this is one of the most forgettable entries. There’s nothing about this movie that would make me recommend it specifically over so many similar movies that are more unique in some way or other.

Overall rating: 4.7/10

Other WLW films in similar genres