★ 5 / 10
**A pessimistic film, somewhat negative and sad, about
Filipe Manuel Neto
**A pessimistic film, somewhat negative and sad, about (maybe) two versions of the same person.** I decided to see this film shortly after having seen the…
**A pessimistic film, somewhat negative and sad, about (maybe) two versions of the same person.**
I decided to see this film shortly after having seen the trilogy of colors, by the same director, the Polish Krzysztof Kieslowski. The theme of the film is the lives of two women, the French Veronique and the Polish Weronika. They are doppelgängers for each other, live similar lives, have very similar aspirations and a similar life path. It could be said that they are twin sisters or versions of the same person! However, the two do not know each other and do not even presume the existence of the other. I dare not – and it would be very incorrect – to say more, but what happens to one of them affects the other in an inexplicable way. It is not, however, a happy or optimistic film.
Kieslowski does an interesting job in a film that marks his expansion outside his country, into international cinema. Until then, he had only made a career in Poland, and largely at the expense of national television and documentaries. Color is fundamental in the film, as is the case in a good part of his work, and especially in his famous trilogy. Except that, contrary to what happens in these three films, the colors are largely muted here, through the almost permanent use of filters that reduce them to a tan, almost sepia. Thus, cinematography seeks to speak to us through color and framing, and ends up relating intimately and intensely with music and sound, creating an oneiric atmosphere that only seems excessive due to its omnipresence. Of the soundtrack, I would especially highlight a passage sung, in the best and most honest lyrical or operatic style, but undoubtedly composed for the film.
The lead role (or rather, both lead roles) are secured by Irene Jacob, young and confident, sure of herself and her ability for the task at hand. This film opened doors for him and allowed him to have a much more distinguished career than he would have otherwise, I think. However, she is the only outstanding actress in this film. Everything else is supporting actors, appearing relatively fleetingly to do what needs to be done.
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★ 8 / 10
"Now I know why you were the one."
classicsoncall
I watched this film a second time because I thought I might have missed something during my first viewing. It turned out I hadn't, but with the second viewing…
I watched this film a second time because I thought I might have missed something during my first viewing. It turned out I hadn't, but with the second viewing I had a better understanding of the two characters and who they were in relation to each other. Portrayed by Irene Jacob, both Weronika and Veronique share some sort of psychic link which is broken when Weronika collapses and dies during a musical performance. Weronika's death and burial so soon into the picture is somewhat jarring, as it leaves one feeling that an integral character in the story had no opportunity to impact the outcome. That feeling of confusion moves along in the story as Veronique struggles to learn the identity of a secret benefactor who makes unidentified phone calls and sends her packages with odd enclosures.
How can one best describe the film? It's erotic and seductive to be sure, as well as sensitive, dreamy, romantic, ethereal and mesmerizing. At the same time it can be mysterious and incomprehensible. Director Krzysztof Kieslowski allows the viewer to individually interpret his movies and this one struck me as a dreamscape, almost as if the characters of Weronika and Veronique weren't real in the first place. The effect is so disorienting that it will take some time for me to discover whether I liked it or not. I lean toward the former, though with a sense of apprehension, as seeing it again at another time might prove to move me in a different direction.
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No cell phones, just people hanging around