Director :Chan-wook Park
Stars : Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode
Story : IMDB
After India’s father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him.
There are movies which are genuinely different,not in terms of story but storytelling.In case of this movie as well,it is the magic of the director that with using minimum dialogues, and spellbinding cinematography,he keeps you guessing and questioning the whole experience.
Triumph of the director lies in the presentation and maintaining an environment of suspicion throughout the movie with the un-usual characters of the movie.The characters,in the span of two scenes are sometimes honest,suspicious and in other outrageous and evil.
Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman, two leading women are in terrific form as they deliver equally with dialogues and with the lack of them.Uncle Charlie played by Matthew Goode is brilliant too and has that artfully cunning look in one and in the very next scene he seems very relaxed and calm.
There are absolutely brilliant scenes when it comes to visuals.The opening sequence when we hear India (Mia Wasikowska) narrating her ability to hear sounds others can’t hear and the scene moves to the birthday cake. Another scene worth mentioning is when India is combing her mother’s hair and director chooses to run the camera through the length of her hair which turns into a farm – showing us an incident in flashback.
This is certainly not a masterpiece by Oldboy director Chan-wook Park but it shows that what he is capable of,even when the story does not have much to offer.
It is not for everyone and most of the audience expecting fun or thrilling moments won’t like it.
It’s for audience who want a different visual experience and storytelling.
Rating : 3.5/5
Related articles
- Stoker (2013): Chan-wook Park’s ode to the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock (raeindia.wordpress.com)
- Park Chan-wook’s Stoker (2013) (blackiswhiteblog.wordpress.com)
- Disturbing and Beautiful (theimpossiblegirlblog.wordpress.com)
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