Written by: Darren Aronofsky
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Brian Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.
Verdict
It's a movie that constantly provokes you to ask, "What is this?" As bewildering as it can be, it didn't make me want to give up. It's part metaphor or allegory, vague enough that it could be anything except for straight forward. It's well made with an attention to detail, but it's so far from typical that many won't like it.
After experiencing it once, watching it again might provide further insight. This is crafting a story about creation and the Earth, refusing to settle on any one story to maximize the interpretations.
It depends.
Review
The movie has a dream like quality as everything is slightly off. From how the couple interacts with each other to how their home behaves. The house seems to have a beating heart.
There's a disconnect. This isn't set in the typical world. The woman is a spectator trapped in this uncanny world with a husband that ignores her. The woman's perspective feels exactly like she's in a dream and can't wake up. The entire movie has a kind of terror and unease because we know things are not going to work like we expect. Jennifer Lawrence is the protagonist, the camera typically framing her in a head shot. We spend a lot of time on that angle, watching her reactions to everything that unfolds.
There's a couple that begins staying in the house, despite the woman's reservations. The couple has no self awareness. Without a clear outline I began trying to figure this out. Is it some kind of origin story for the world? Is the new couple Adam and Eve? Their sons could certainly could be Cain and Abel.
I was never quite sure how Javier Bardem's character of the husband fit. She's there mostly to support him, he's a once famous poet encountering writers block.
There's a party at the house and while the woman is hospitable, people begin taking advantage. I began to wonder if the house is a metaphor for the Earth and how it's mistreated.
Is this meant to represent a relationship? This is a movie that could easily be bad. It's not easy to create something so vague while maintaining interest. This thing gets bonkers toward the end with pandemonium and sacrifice. This seems to certainly skew towards a religious metaphor. I don't think I'm mixing confusion for depth. I do believe I'd have an even better understanding if I watched this again. The movie pushes you right into that, with the final scene leading directly into the first scene we saw. It makes you ask questions, though it provides few answers.
This is a great example of balancing art an entertainment. It would be easy to completely frustrate viewers, but this remains entertaining as we watch, hoping to stumble upon a clue to the answer.
No comments :
Post a Comment