So, now I have completed my watching of all the films I need to see before Oscar night, besides The Master (it come out on DVD after the awards ceremony) and The Impossible (Which I may or may not see before the awards).
Anyway, Amour is about a husband and a wife who are dealing with the impossible which is the wife dying of heart failure and becoming paralyzed on the right side of her body . Obviously, this is not a happy movie by any means, but the warmth and love of the couple is always evident especially in the first half which is very sad, but not nearly as emotionally draining as the 2nd. The film is brilliantly directed and written and although the movie barely leaves it's apartment setting, the french flavor is still very strong and enjoyable. My one complaint is the way the film handles the character of the daughter; I wish there was more development of her relationship with her mother and father because the film only leaves an impression that their past relationship wasn't that great. But it's a minor one complaint and doesn't take away from being full-filled by the experience of the movie.
As for the performances, they are amazing. Emanuelle Riva completely disappears into the part: She is so warm and beautiful and gets every note right in her portrayal in the beginning, and then is devastatingly real and convincing when she has a 2nd stroke that leaves her unrecognizable. Her chemistry with Jean-Louis Trintignant is fantastic as well. Both actors are completely believable as an elderly couple and to watch their slow demise is truly painful to watch. I think Trintignant was truly robbed of an Oscar nomination as well for his work: He heartbreakingly shows his pain at losing his wife and carries his character arc so well as the film progresses.
However, although Amour is certainly one of the best films of the year, I don't quite love it. Don't get me wrong, it is great and definitely worth seeing. But the incredibly depressing and draining subject matter is not easy viewing and it makes hard to love. I don't want to see it again for a long, long time either. But kudos to the Academy for nominating it for Best Picture, Director, Actress (I still think she will win!), Original Screenplay (I hope it will win here, although it is unlikely), and Foreign Language Film (It will probably win here).
Expect BAFTA predictions tomorrow! And Riva is now my choice for Best Actress!
8 comments:
Haven't seen it yet but I will be watching it soon.
Yay, good for you!!!
I thought it was a wonderful film, and I appreciate Haneke's boldness in making his film's really uncomfortable, which really makes them realistic. I personally don't see it as this masterpiece that others do, it's my 2nd favorite film by him behind The White Ribbon, but it's a really strong film. Riva's performance is an emotional journey in itself and even though she's not the main character in the film, she's the heart of the film and makes it human for me
Do you mean she's your own choice or your Bafta choice?
Anyway, I saw this in November and I was captivated by it. I was especially amazed by Trintignant. More on Riva in a couple of days. :)
Now that I have seen it, I thought it was quite good although its not my favorite of the year or anything like that though.
Dinasztie: She's my Best Actress choice, can't wait for your Riva review
Louis: I'm glad you liked it! Can't wait for your review of Trintignant!
Sebbers: Never seen the White Ribbon, but I've always wanted to. Nice to see a new face!
I'm currently wading through the Foreign and Doc nominees, and am saving Amour for last as an incentive to get them done lol. Really hoping to love Riva since I don't have a clear BA fave.
I'm glad we agreed about her. And I would be very pleased, if she won an Oscar, but I just think, Harvey's campaign will be too strong.
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