“Filth and wisdom are two sides of the same coin.”

Madonna’s directorial debut, Filth and Wisdom, attempts to show how these two concepts are intertwined: how taking either path will often end in reaching the other. The exploration of these ideas makes this film intriguing, but unfortunately at times, unfulfilling.

During the film, viewers meet three unique roommates who are all trying to find their ways to their dreams, but obviously have to get through the filth to get there. Our narrator is A.K. (played captivatingly by Eugene Hutz) who takes us through his and his roommates’ lives, filling them with nonsensical Ukrainian sayings and a carefree attitude. Through him, we learn about Juliette (Vicky McClure), who works the counter at a pharmacy but desires to save children in Africa. Her filth is in the form of pills that she steals from her employer, who lusts after her. Holly (Holly Weston) is the third roommate, an aspiring ballerina who needs a way to continue going after her dream. However, along the way she finds herself working as a stripper at Beechman’s Exotic Gentleman’s Club. And then there is our narrator, who is a member of the gypsy punk rock band Gogol Bordello. But as he shows us best, even he has a filthy side as he moonlights as a role-player for some interesting customers.

A.K. shows audiences how each of the three, while only using the filth in their lives as a means to greater things, are still dedicated to doing the best they can at their less-than-ideal side jobs. Juliette may be the only one who doesn’t put a bit of her heart into her job, although she does put in more effort than one might expect. A.K. obsessively prepares for his meetings with clients and Holly is found crying in the ladies’ room because she isn’t as good as the other girls. They seem to put the same passion into their “filthy” jobs as they do their dreams. They make it obvious that filth and wisdom just may go hand in hand--one truly will make you reach the other.

Madonna describes this film as, “my way of putting myself through film school.” This statement fits perfectly since Filth and Wisdom feels like someone working their way through an intricate film. The movie is shot with A.K. narrating and his music and performances mix in and out of it, which works nicely. The music itself is invigorating and is able to change the pace of the film in an instant. In particular, the song “Wonderlust King” is captivating without being too catchy. The music brings something different to the film, making the scenes more intense and eventually creating a more complicated situation than the viewer first thinks.

However, while parts of the movie are wonderful and insightful, the whole thing wraps up far too neatly. Without giving away too much, it makes sense for some of the characters to have the ending that they do, however with others it feels a bit forced and may have been better off being left a bit open-ended. Also in Madonna’s directorial statement, she reveals that the story for Filth and Wisdom was originally a short, but she added on to it as she fell further in love with the characters. It’s easy to see this as a short, with the characters’ stories unfinished and that this mix of filth and wisdom will be an ongoing combination. The current ending makes it seem as though it’s almost easy to get through the filth and to the other side. However, the ongoing saying that they are two sides of the same coin would lead one to believe that they are always present together. The ending feels like the one place where Madonna is trying to work things out, but couldn’t quite find the appropriate way to bring these stories and lives to an end.

Overall, the imagery of this film is what sets it apart. The glimpses into each life, just quick shots of the characters’ everyday activities, are what will capture the audience’s attention, from Juliette and Holly helping A.K. with his “job” to A.K.’s hidden childhood. These glimpses, paired with the Gogol Bordello music, show viewers much more than some of the movie tells us. We come to realize how some sort of filthy side is in all of the characters to different degrees, but also that it comes naturally or has been put there from their pasts. The most interesting part of Filth and Wisdom is the exploration of the ideas of filth and wisdom, which makes viewers wish that this had been delved into deeper. The film leaves audiences wanting to know, are we ever rid of the filth?

Filth and Wisdom is now playing in select theaters and On Demand.

For more information, visit ifcfilms.com/viewFilm.htm?filmId=876.