There are plenty of reviews of this film, so let me just say what I appreciate about it and leave it there.
This is a slow, long film, but it is most impressive for its ability to create tension, relief, angst, peace, pain, in all the right places. That and its symbolism, which is subtle enough to let the viewer do the work. I write this just after viewing it--I imagine I'll be thinking more about its symbolism in days to come.
It is frightening, precisely because it so effectively refers to the existential challenge we all face. It confronts us not with the silly scares of monsters or kidnappers, but of the actually terrifying: The prospect that we'll fail in life to live up to its challenges, to be brave enough when it matters, to have a change of heart where we cannot or should not. That we should lapse into our old, bad habits. That we should fail in life. That we buy a vacant lot built on empty dreams that worked for our parents, and are now just figments in our imaginations.
Fortunately, it offers a way out. It shows we can set our lives right, even if we fail to live up to our dreams. We can repair, make the best of it, if we are brave enough.
Painful, yes. I look back at my own life and see the repeated mistakes and wonder, will I be brave enough?
This is a slow, long film, but it is most impressive for its ability to create tension, relief, angst, peace, pain, in all the right places. That and its symbolism, which is subtle enough to let the viewer do the work. I write this just after viewing it--I imagine I'll be thinking more about its symbolism in days to come.
It is frightening, precisely because it so effectively refers to the existential challenge we all face. It confronts us not with the silly scares of monsters or kidnappers, but of the actually terrifying: The prospect that we'll fail in life to live up to its challenges, to be brave enough when it matters, to have a change of heart where we cannot or should not. That we should lapse into our old, bad habits. That we should fail in life. That we buy a vacant lot built on empty dreams that worked for our parents, and are now just figments in our imaginations.
Fortunately, it offers a way out. It shows we can set our lives right, even if we fail to live up to our dreams. We can repair, make the best of it, if we are brave enough.
Painful, yes. I look back at my own life and see the repeated mistakes and wonder, will I be brave enough?