Here's what I had to say earlier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Baby Lee
Yeah, I can see it that way. What impresses me is how comprehensive it is in its genius.
It's not just a pretty movie, or a great story, or some great acting performances. Everything coalesces to a narrative that is both ambiguous and pointed simultaneously.
Nobody's all good. Nobody's all bad. No one big event sets everything in motion. It's the implacable inertia of fate dealing its hand out in our current times and letting the chips fall as they may.
And it's tone is all over the place while still remaining coherent.
It's something you can ruminate on and still not make progress, yet still feel the rumination was productive.
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Don't want to say too much. Not so much out of avoiding some idea of massive spoilers, or even revealing that there are or aren't. More that it is well-suited to a clean experience. It's not hard to follow, so it doesn't need prior explanation or preparation, and I think the more open your mind is to letting the narrative carry you along, the better.
One thing I will add is that there is an impressive array of well thought out and executed cinematic flourishes that don't need to be completely digested in one sitting to appreciate the experience, but are interesting to review and think about once you've experienced it the first time. Subtle matters of shot composition and camera work that add to or inform the narrative if you catch them, without being showy or distracting if you are concentrating on the story instead.
If you are familiar, the director draws heavily from the work of Hitchcock in how he supplements the narrative with the visuals. Lines and shading subtly delineates the divisions and demarcations of the characters. Static elements are manipulated to contribute character beats. All in all, not just an enjoyable movie as a movie, but an impressive work of art visually and technically.
The main thing I want to impress is that this is a very accessible movie. People from all walks of life aren't gushing over it because they all want to seem chic and sophisticated. It's deep and dense in places, but only if you're looking hard. You can also enjoy it entirely as a cinema experience. The main narrative is clear and straightforward, and it packs plenty of excitement, while the symbolism and contextual narrative ride alongside and serve to deepen appreciation along the way. The best way I could analogize it is, suppose your favorite rock band put on a killer concert, then you find out that all of their outfits and instruments and stage lights also held history or told a story. You could enjoy the eff out of the concert, then when you find out about the story of the shirt, or the guitar, it just gives you even more to enjoy.