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As a parrotlike pastiche of ’70s sexploitation flicks, Viva knows its turf inside-out.
But for all its garish aesthetics, sly feminism and wall-to-wall nudity, writer/director Anne Biller’s camp-com is almost too much of a good thing, outstaying its welcome at a paint-drying two hours.
LA art-scene queen Biller also takes the lead as Barbi, an oblivious California hausfrau who dives into the free-love zeitgeist by becoming call-girl Viva.
Biller’s blank-faced delivery raises a wry smile, but there’s so much bad bad acting from the rest of her cast that Viva becomes as much fun as watching someone scrape their tongue against a cheese grater.
Matt Mueller
