Movie Review: Melancholia, A Magnolia Pictures Release
Directed by: Lars Von Trier
Release Date: Video On Demand (VOD) Everywhere Oct 7th/In Theatres Nov 11th
Length: 135 min
Rating:
Official Selection:
2011 Cannes International Film Festival
Synopsis
“In this beautiful movie about the end of the world, Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), and brother-in-law John (Kiefer Sutherland). Despite Claire’s best efforts, the wedding is a fiasco, with family tensions mounting and relationships fraying. Meanwhile, a planet called Melancholia is heading directly towards Earth… MELANCHOLIA is a psychological disaster film from director Lars von Trier.”
L-R: Justine (Kirsten Dunst), Leo (Cameron Spurr), Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg)
At the very onset of the film, there is no secret – the world will end. The story unfolds, depicting everything in slow motion as the planet Melancholia draws closer on its collision course with Earth. As young Leo (Cameron Spurr) looks to his “Aunt Steelbreaker” Justine (Kirsten Dunst) to save him, she shows genuine candor in comforting him while her sister Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) quickly descends into a chaotic frenzy, desperately trying to find an escape from an inevitable fate – the end of life for the entire planet.
When trying to find words to describe Melancholia, one’s thoughts may be accompanied by a pregnant pause, and a little lip movement – like pursing your lips before you do an Elvis impersonation – before finally uttering the words, “It was….interesting, to say the least.” I like films that have a gradual progression, but when they begin to wander a little too much from the main plot points, my confusion turns into frustration. There are moments of ‘I don’t get it’ because it goes beyond the typical “WTF!” notions. I desperately want to hear crickets chirping in my stunned silence as I battle between my state of confusion and my voracious curiosity. But I’ll elaborate on that later.
Journalist Nils Thorsen, author of last year’s The Genius – Lars von Trier’s Life, Films and Phobias, interviewed director Lars von Trier in March as he was putting the final touches on Melancholia.
In a part of the interview when asked what he thinks of the film, Von Trier’s answer (in parts), “Charlotte Gainsbourg said something that pleased me very much. It was: It’s a weird film,” he laughs. “That was lovely, because I was worried that ‘weird’ was somehow lacking a bit.”
For more on the interview click here.
Overall, I like the film but there are some scenes that make me scratch my head. If you’ve seen The Fountain with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, the film’s tone in its complexity and grandeur for romanticism based in reality is shared in Melancholia. I also feel the need to use overtly intelligent words to help articulate the off-the-beaten path course Melancholia takes within my review. I digress.
Tjolöholm Castle in Sweden
The artistic cinematography is breathtaking. The visuals are absolutely stunning. When you see both the moon and the planet Melancholia in the night sky, it’s an astounding celestial dream! The colors are incredibly rich and alive! I want to go to Tjolöholm Castle in Sweden where the exterior scenes for the film were shot and just frolic on the grounds…except where Justine urinates on the golf course…I’ll skip that little patch of greenery! (Chuckle) What the story lacks in coherency, it makes up for with beautiful imagery.
L-R: Justine (Kirsten Dunst) and Michael (Alexander Skarsgard) ask John (Kiefer Sutherland) and Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg) about the red star in the sky
The film is broken into two parts focusing on two sisters. Part One: Justine. Justine and her new husband Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) are late for their lavish wedding reception being held at the home of Claire and her husband John (Kiefer Sutherland). Of course, it’s not completely Justine and Michael’s fault– the stretched limo driver is having a difficult time making the very sharp turns on the gravel dirt road leading up to the castle grounds. Once they make it to the reception, there are some comical nuances that still tickle me when I think about them. One in particular involves the wedding planner (Udo Keir) who is flabbergasted by Justine’s erratic behavior and irreverent attitude towards the traditions of a wedding that he literally holds his hand up to his face to block the sight of her each and every time she passes by him. It gives a new meaning to the phrase “talk to the hand.”
While Justine and Clair pick blueberries, ash randomly falls from the sky like snowflakes
Part Two: Claire. While watching the film, you’ll immediately notice contrasts between the two sisters physical as well as mental differences abound. While Justine is a blonde with an American accent, Claire is a brunette with a British accent. Suffice it to say, one sister could have been raised in the United States while the other was raised abroad. However, with both Gaby (Charlotte Rampling) and Derek (John Hurt) having English accents, it’s a bit of a puzzle why Von Trier chose to showcase their diversity in such a blunt manner. It’s almost as if he is alienating Justine from the rest of her family, as if she were an outsider. Claire loves her sister dearly but also hates her at times. Justine can be so insensitive and abrasive, especially when Claire expresses her concerns for the impending doom lurking in the night sky. As beautiful as the planet appears as it begins to rise, it’s frightening to see an enormous planet so close to Earth. Again, the visual effects are spectacular.
The casting for this film is phenomenal. Alexander Skarsgård portrays Michael with such an endearing quality, you can empathize with his discomfort as he struggles to deal with Justine’s mood swings. Stellan Skarsgård plays Jack, Justine’s opportunistically domineering boss. His depiction of a power hunger ad executive is superbly done – I genuinely want to tell him to shove the ‘tag line’ up his arse! He even makes his new employee Tim (Brady Corbertt) follow Justine around the reception until she comes up with an ad tag line for a photograph Jack has. But Jack has nothing on Justine’s mother Gaby. Her cutting, belittling remarks and embittered attitude toward marriage is one of the reasons I believe Justine is so emotionally imbalanced. Rampling gives such a remarkably soured performance you actually believe she loathes marriage. Justine’s inability to cope is largely due in part to her mother’s failed marriage to her father Derek. Hurt plays an amiable old cad who has two, much younger, women as his dates – both named Betty. As ridiculous as he is with his spoon stealing gag, it seems normal as if he’s been this way his whole life. However, I’m most pleasantly surprised by Dunst’s performance.
Kirsten Dunst as Justine
If you’ve seen her in Interview with a Vampire and Crazy/Beautiful, her performance in Melancholia rebounds those glorious moments of brilliance. I used to think she was a superb actress – highly revered —but she took a turn somewhere in “Immabitchville” and became a pretentious diva in my eyes. But as she embodies Justine, she eloquently melds into utter despair seamlessly, even on the supposedly happiest day of her life. She looks beautiful in her wedding gown but her happiness is marred by the snide comments made by Gaby and it begins to take root deep into her soul so much so she cannot escape her own depression. Michael tries to be attentive to his severely bi-polar bride but I don’t think anyone can pull someone from those depths without drowning a little themselves.
Kiefer Sutherland as John
To compliment this hauntingly beautiful and tragic tale, the musical score features Richard Wagner’s overture for his opera Tristan und Isolde. The music helps set the tone for the impending end of the world. Despite John’s attempts to quell Claire’s fears regarding the planet Melancholia’s collision course with Earth, he secretly prepares for what may come by stocking up on food, water and other supplies. His fascination with astronomy leads to this enthusiasm and his desire to introduce his young son Leo (Cameron Spurr) to the wonders of the night sky and the imposing planet veering towards Earth.
I would urge you to see the film for yourself because I would be remiss if I gave all the details away. There are many scenes in which the two sisters go horseback riding and for some reason Justine’s horse can never cross a bridge. Claire also buys a bottle of poison pills just in case. You see, John has not been truthful about the collision course of the two planets, and as it becomes more apparent that Earth will be destroyed, things begin to go a little wonky. Animals begin to act out; electricity surges through the air; and hail and ash randomly fall from the sky. The contrast of the two sisters and their reactions to impending death comes to a bitterly beautiful explosive end.
For more on the film and a statement from the director go to http://www.melancholiathemovie.com/#_welcome
WATCH THE TRAILER
Photos/video ©Magnolia Pictures
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Judy Manning
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