I went to see this movie with no previously conceived opinion of it. I just knew it was danish and that it had won some awards at film festivals around Skandinavia. I wasn't expecting much but I wasn't groaning at the porspect to see it either, so you could say I was slightly optimistic. As the great Lorelai Gilmore would put it, "I guess this goes on the 'Boy-was-I-wrong' category. Right above gauchos, but just below the Flashdance phase." The movie's classified as a tragicomedy chuckful of dark humor. And while that same classification holds some truly good movies (Network, Dr. Strangelove, etc.), this movie should never hold a spot next to those genre masterpieces. The main problem The Art of Crying faces is its inability to settle on what it wants to say. One minute you're sniggering at then dramatic music (Not the ironic kind, either.) comes out of the speakers and you're left bewildered at what you're supposed to be feeling. There are many other films that manage to achieve a wonderful balance of sad and happy, tragic and funny parts. But The Art of Crying just doesn't pass muster in that area.
I'm not saying the film doesn't have some snicker-worthy moments, but they're few and far between. One must also bear in mind that those scarce moments are also dampened by the effect the more cringe-worthy scenes have on the viewer. I realize it's hard to put a fun spin on the subject of child abuse, but it could have still done a better job at it. And while the misplaced sweetness of a boy willing to go to any lengths to keep his manipulating, pseudosuicidal father happy sounds interesting on paper, here it plays out as something so wrong no child would ever do it without pausing to consider whether it's right or not. And don't even get me started on the father who is such a horrible character you can't ever relate to him or hope he sees the error of his ways. You just sit there hoping he'll finally make good on his threats and finally slash his wrists or something.
The one character you can truly understand and relate to, ironically, is Sanne. As the middle daughter and the source of consolation for his father, she's the most disturbed, stressed character in the whole movie. Despite all this, she's the only one that makes sense in the end. Anyone in her position would have gone mad (Her arents thinking she's amd to begin with sure doesn't help.)
Of course, despite the movie's flaws, the direction is pretty impressive for a debut. Peter Schonau Fog has a very distinctive style for a first timer. The beautiful countryside is given a very cold, gray look that fits the tone of the film and his use of shadows during the night scenes is actually very good as a contrast to the daytime gray brightness. All in all, much like The Good Night, this movie is an above-average visual experience but not much more. I recommend you seeing it and telling me whether it really is a matter of taste regarding dark humor or if I'm right at suspecting this movie has left critics so bewildered that they've been giving out positive reviews merely to avoid having nothing to say.
Le verdict: *
I'm not saying the film doesn't have some snicker-worthy moments, but they're few and far between. One must also bear in mind that those scarce moments are also dampened by the effect the more cringe-worthy scenes have on the viewer. I realize it's hard to put a fun spin on the subject of child abuse, but it could have still done a better job at it. And while the misplaced sweetness of a boy willing to go to any lengths to keep his manipulating, pseudosuicidal father happy sounds interesting on paper, here it plays out as something so wrong no child would ever do it without pausing to consider whether it's right or not. And don't even get me started on the father who is such a horrible character you can't ever relate to him or hope he sees the error of his ways. You just sit there hoping he'll finally make good on his threats and finally slash his wrists or something.
The one character you can truly understand and relate to, ironically, is Sanne. As the middle daughter and the source of consolation for his father, she's the most disturbed, stressed character in the whole movie. Despite all this, she's the only one that makes sense in the end. Anyone in her position would have gone mad (Her arents thinking she's amd to begin with sure doesn't help.)
Of course, despite the movie's flaws, the direction is pretty impressive for a debut. Peter Schonau Fog has a very distinctive style for a first timer. The beautiful countryside is given a very cold, gray look that fits the tone of the film and his use of shadows during the night scenes is actually very good as a contrast to the daytime gray brightness. All in all, much like The Good Night, this movie is an above-average visual experience but not much more. I recommend you seeing it and telling me whether it really is a matter of taste regarding dark humor or if I'm right at suspecting this movie has left critics so bewildered that they've been giving out positive reviews merely to avoid having nothing to say.
Le verdict: *
No comments:
Post a Comment