"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." That's how the saying goes, right? Does it or should it also apply to watching films from the same director? Heretofore I've seen four other pictures that Gaspar Noé has made, and I specifically liked one of them. (Well, maybe like 70-80% of one, if we're being honest.) And still I come back for more, in hopes that I'll find a movie that will change my mind about the filmmaker. That persistence has finally paid off, for in my experience so far, this is surely the best thing Noé has done. It might actually be the best thing Dario Argento has been involved with, for that matter. There was maybe still room for improvement; I think there are a few points where some dialogue, or seconds or even minutes of the length, could have been left on the cutting room floor without diminishing the end product. Yet ultimately such subjective faults are decidedly minor in light of what this otherwise represents. Even more to the point: where some of the man's other features have felt self-indulgent ('Enter the void'), or "daring" or "artistic" but emptily so to one degree or another ('Irreversible,' 'Lux Aeterna'), 'Vortex' readily comes across as deeply, painfully honest, and personal, and therefore immediately comes from a place of far greater strength and power than his other works. This isn't exactly an easy watch, but it's nonetheless lovely even as it's excruciating, and at last Noé may have made that film that will be his most enduring legacy.
The small primary cast turn in performances of stark authenticity that's immensely gratifying. Argento and Francoise Lebrun above all, but also Alex Lutz, are given roles that are difficult precisely because they're so heavily understated, real, and natural, and close to the heart. These qualities manifest strong gravity matching the subdued, sparing, but heavy story at hand, and each actor is wonderful in the supreme nuance and unreserved genuineness with which they bring their characters to life. Other pictures have told tales of the struggles of old age, declining health, and mental illness, yet few if any with the utmost subtlety and downtrodden panache as Noé achieves here. Most of us have surely watched a grandparent go through the deterioration that Elle and Lui do; if we're lucky, we haven't yet or won't see it in our parents; we dread going through it in any capacity, least of all ourselves. Yet Noé, his cast, and his crew bring the realities of aging and death front and center with a delicate but unmistakable purpose that makes us stare it all in the face. The filmmaker deserves significant credit as both writer and director, summoning this dour drama and also expertly, meticulously orchestrating every shot and scene. Much love as well to regular collaborator Benoit Debie for soft yet mindful cinematography that lets every aching detail ring out with vivid clarity, and editor Denis Bedlow, who unquestionably had an enormous task on hand to compile and sequence a feature in which scenes play out from multiple angles within a matter of minutes. Their contributions do so much to enrich a viewing experience that's already highly laudable.
Every line and scene is crafted with critical, attentive care and obvious devotion to the sad truth of not just aging and failing health, but aging and failing health in a modern society where even the most tight-knit families tend to live apart, and ailments are suffered in solitude and silence. Such content is difficult, but important and rewarding - and realized with a warm, gentle, yet unwavering vision. That vision includes rather ingenious use of the split-screen presentation that Noé previously employed in 'Lux Aeterna'; I was mostly unimpressed with the novelty in that instance, as it needlessly amplified the chaotic feel of the movie, but here I think it's rendered with far more conscientiousness that enhances the storytelling. At the same time that the dual perspective theoretically expands our perception of the course of events, it nonetheless serves to emphasize the smallness of Elle and Lui's world - and the loneliness of their experiences, even when they're side by side - and furthers the sense of enclosure and claustrophobia (even in those few instances when a scene takes place outdoors) that's chiefly fostered by the superb choice of medium format for the framing. Rarely has the particular technical craft of a film been so important to the narrative it communicates, and rarely have these elements been blended so smoothly. The result here is simply brilliant.
I've been waiting and hoping for Noé to prove himself to me, to give me a movie that unremittingly demonstrates his capabilities as a writer and director. Up til now the nearest I think he came to accomplishing that was with 2018's 'Climax,' yet even for as smart and sharp as it was in most every way, still it was uneven and imperfect. Finally, with 'Vortex,' Noé illustrates untarnished mastery of the medium that deserves far more recognition, to the point that I'm aghast this hasn't gotten more attention. The story that unfolds is dreadfully real, and quietly spellbinding, but for all that, perfect. Argento, Lebrun, and Lutz give performances of a lifetime. The direction, cinematography, and editing, and all other aspects of the work behind the scenes, are exquisite and flawless. It's tremendously impactful in the best and worst of ways, unflaggingly intelligent and soulful at every turn. Whatever one thinks of Noé otherwise - I'm the first to admit that I've been less than kind in my assessment elsewhere - this is the movie that he was born to make. This is the movie we've been waiting for him to make. By the nature of the content I can understand how this won't appeal to all, and it's a pointedly uncomfortable view. It is also, however, absolutely extraordinary, a marvelous credit to all involved, and frankly an outright must-see. However you need to go about finding it, 'Vortex' is exceptional, and earns my highest recommendation and most sincere gratitude.
The small primary cast turn in performances of stark authenticity that's immensely gratifying. Argento and Francoise Lebrun above all, but also Alex Lutz, are given roles that are difficult precisely because they're so heavily understated, real, and natural, and close to the heart. These qualities manifest strong gravity matching the subdued, sparing, but heavy story at hand, and each actor is wonderful in the supreme nuance and unreserved genuineness with which they bring their characters to life. Other pictures have told tales of the struggles of old age, declining health, and mental illness, yet few if any with the utmost subtlety and downtrodden panache as Noé achieves here. Most of us have surely watched a grandparent go through the deterioration that Elle and Lui do; if we're lucky, we haven't yet or won't see it in our parents; we dread going through it in any capacity, least of all ourselves. Yet Noé, his cast, and his crew bring the realities of aging and death front and center with a delicate but unmistakable purpose that makes us stare it all in the face. The filmmaker deserves significant credit as both writer and director, summoning this dour drama and also expertly, meticulously orchestrating every shot and scene. Much love as well to regular collaborator Benoit Debie for soft yet mindful cinematography that lets every aching detail ring out with vivid clarity, and editor Denis Bedlow, who unquestionably had an enormous task on hand to compile and sequence a feature in which scenes play out from multiple angles within a matter of minutes. Their contributions do so much to enrich a viewing experience that's already highly laudable.
Every line and scene is crafted with critical, attentive care and obvious devotion to the sad truth of not just aging and failing health, but aging and failing health in a modern society where even the most tight-knit families tend to live apart, and ailments are suffered in solitude and silence. Such content is difficult, but important and rewarding - and realized with a warm, gentle, yet unwavering vision. That vision includes rather ingenious use of the split-screen presentation that Noé previously employed in 'Lux Aeterna'; I was mostly unimpressed with the novelty in that instance, as it needlessly amplified the chaotic feel of the movie, but here I think it's rendered with far more conscientiousness that enhances the storytelling. At the same time that the dual perspective theoretically expands our perception of the course of events, it nonetheless serves to emphasize the smallness of Elle and Lui's world - and the loneliness of their experiences, even when they're side by side - and furthers the sense of enclosure and claustrophobia (even in those few instances when a scene takes place outdoors) that's chiefly fostered by the superb choice of medium format for the framing. Rarely has the particular technical craft of a film been so important to the narrative it communicates, and rarely have these elements been blended so smoothly. The result here is simply brilliant.
I've been waiting and hoping for Noé to prove himself to me, to give me a movie that unremittingly demonstrates his capabilities as a writer and director. Up til now the nearest I think he came to accomplishing that was with 2018's 'Climax,' yet even for as smart and sharp as it was in most every way, still it was uneven and imperfect. Finally, with 'Vortex,' Noé illustrates untarnished mastery of the medium that deserves far more recognition, to the point that I'm aghast this hasn't gotten more attention. The story that unfolds is dreadfully real, and quietly spellbinding, but for all that, perfect. Argento, Lebrun, and Lutz give performances of a lifetime. The direction, cinematography, and editing, and all other aspects of the work behind the scenes, are exquisite and flawless. It's tremendously impactful in the best and worst of ways, unflaggingly intelligent and soulful at every turn. Whatever one thinks of Noé otherwise - I'm the first to admit that I've been less than kind in my assessment elsewhere - this is the movie that he was born to make. This is the movie we've been waiting for him to make. By the nature of the content I can understand how this won't appeal to all, and it's a pointedly uncomfortable view. It is also, however, absolutely extraordinary, a marvelous credit to all involved, and frankly an outright must-see. However you need to go about finding it, 'Vortex' is exceptional, and earns my highest recommendation and most sincere gratitude.