Dancer In The Dark

Dancer in The Dark by Lars Von Trier

Warning, I can't say enough good things about this film.

Such a simple story with a small principle cast but a huge, gut-punching impact.

Through the start of the film I kept noticing the performances. That's not usually a good thing. I know Von Trier likes to improvise scenes and much of the acting had the staginess of a theatre class. But because of the unusual acting there was an authenticity about the characters that is missing in slicker productions.

The writing is superb. So many moments that just made me go YES I recognise that; I've known that embarrassment or that impulse to lie or that sense of triumph.

I've often heard Dancer In The Dark described as harrowing. It's not. It is sad and some parts are difficult to watch because of the feeling of impending doom. But harrowing? No.

The theme of self-sacrifice lifts what might be a tragedy or a self-indulgent, melodramatic, art-house folly to the heights of a classic. Is it just my Christian faith talking or does self-sacrifice push your buttons too? Selma doesn't let go of her love for her son through the whole story. She doesn't waver from her only goal. Even in the face of death.

It's this love that makes a difficult, sad, sad story so beautiful.

You have to see it. Pick the right time in your life, but definitely see it.

The Hunter

Dir. Daniel Nettheim

Wr. Alice Addison

Based on the novel by Julia Leigh

Anther day, another Australian thriller. Story-wise this one has a lot going for it. The premise is interesting and topical.

A mercenary is sent to the wilds of Tasmania to kill and retrieve samples from the last Tasmanian Tiger.

The build is good all the way through to the climax but it’s really hard to write a satisfying resolution, isn’t it?

I haven’t read the book and I guess the writer was probably trying to remain faithful to the material she was working with but there were some key moments that undermined the whole script.

Some advice I was given recently was – if there’s a wall you’ve got to climb it. Which means you can’t spend the whole story on one side of a wall and never show the audience what’s on the other side. Give the audience what they want.

A really good script will give the audience what they didn’t realize they wanted. Unpredictable but resolved.

In The Hunter there are too many set ups and not enough pay offs. Without giving too much away, there’s a character that I like who is killed unexpectedly. The audience is told about it 3^rd hand and doesn’t get to grieve. It didn’t leave me feeling sad, just cold.

Story is all about emotional engagement. You don’t want to manipulate your audience but you do need to be aware of what’s happening for them all the time. The Hunter just wasn’t audience focused.

And does the man find the Tiger, you ask? Hmm? Well…

Kung Fu Panda 2

Hilarious. Superbly written. Crafty direction. Definitely have a look.

The Whistleblower

The Whistleblower

If the name of this film makes you think of corporate thrillers and David vs Goliath stories of triumph like Erin Brockovich or The Insider, think again.

The Whistleblower, directed by Larysa Kondracki and written by Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan, is a dark, dark tale of institutionalised sex-trafficking and one woman's attempt to stop it. Like Erin Brockovich, The Whistleblower is based on a true story but in this one the triumphs are small. I had a stronger feeling of dread and foreboding than the intrigue and elation that I usually associate with thrillers. If you're looking for a label for it, I'd call The Whistleblower a docuhorror.

Script-wise The Whistleblower is good. Kathy, the central character is likeable and noble but still complicated and flawed. Rachel Weisz gives a magnificent performance. We get to know the victims of the abuse enough to care but not so much as to detract from Kathy's story. The plot twists and turns and drives forward beautifully. The ending is, well, as satisfying as real life can be.

Despite having all the elements, in the preview session I went to a number of people walked out of the cinema. It mostly coincided with the graphic scenes of sexual torture and violence but I heard several people complain about the camera-work too. It wasn't just the subject matter that was dark. I found it difficult to see what was going on in most scenes. I appreciate that it fits thematically to have a general vibe of darkness but, come on, you've got to be able to see what the characters can see, at least some of the time.

The Whistleblower will polarise people. It will be some people's favorite film ever and others will hate it. True story, a woman walking the talk, subtitles, arty aesthetic;  I liked it quite a lot.