What a strange film, what a weird concept to be seen in North American theatres. This is a film that was funded by the United Kingdom, directed by a Frenchman, starred a Chinese man ( Tony Leung ) and had a European feel to it. So what the hell was it doing playing in a small Canadian city ( London Ontario, population 326 000 )on New Years Day in 1993? And why did I go see it? Probably because I had seen everything else at the time and my girlfriend at the time dragged me to it ( yes that is you Denise, if you ever read this review ). As it turned out I have to admit that I enjoyed this film, and not just because of the rampant nudity and graphic sexuality, although that was quite nice and almost served as foreplay, but also because the story was interesting and strange and weird and depressing and thrilling all rolled into one. Does that make any sense? It does to me, sort of.
The Lover ( english translation ) is a story about a Chinaman and a young French girl that seem to fall in love. I say "seem" because they are so cruel to each other at times that I really wondered if their relationship really wasn't all about sex and pain, of the emotional kind that is. She is much younger than he is and they are also forbidden to marry because of his customs and society to be wed. So they have to put on a cherade when they are at the same function or in the same place together when his family is around. There is one scene that had me angry and it is a scene when the young girl seems to go out of her way to look sexually ravenous with another man as the Chinaman looks on, helplessly. She does so, clearly to get his attention but it is so cruel and blatant that it becomes disturbing. But then again, love is that way at times (just ask my ex-girlfriend). It hurts you and it gives you pleasure. Their relationship was doomed from the start due to their age difference and their race and religious differences. So it is inevitable that one goes out of the way to hurt the other.
Jean Jacques Annaud and his DP photograph the film beautifully. The sights and sounds of the 20's are lush and colourful and the film does a great job of convincing you that it is a time period of 70 some years ago. The acting is quite good as well. But I guess the only reason that I didn't like the film as much as I could have is that I, like a previous reviewer, felt almost voyeuristic and like a pedophile when watching the film. I am not opposed to nudity in film and I think when it furthers the story it is just as necessary as the music and the script. But seeing 20 year old March in as many comprimising positions as she was sort of made me feel, well, weird. Watching the two of them go at it was almost like watching soft core porn. It was great for me as a 21 year old man, but it also may have been a bit excessive. I am not saying that the film is bad because of it, I am just saying that it is weird to see as much as we do.
The Lover is a strange film and it will probably leave you odiously conflicted as well. In many ways it is a good film but in other ways it is just, well, weird. Here in lies the conflict. Do you praise it for all that it is, or do you denounce it for all that shows? Maybe both. Still, if you ever do come across it in a video store, it may be worth a look. It is different than almost anything you will see come out of mainstream Hollywood, and that is always refreshing. And dit also made my "ex" mad. Now that was worth the price of admission alone.
The Lover ( english translation ) is a story about a Chinaman and a young French girl that seem to fall in love. I say "seem" because they are so cruel to each other at times that I really wondered if their relationship really wasn't all about sex and pain, of the emotional kind that is. She is much younger than he is and they are also forbidden to marry because of his customs and society to be wed. So they have to put on a cherade when they are at the same function or in the same place together when his family is around. There is one scene that had me angry and it is a scene when the young girl seems to go out of her way to look sexually ravenous with another man as the Chinaman looks on, helplessly. She does so, clearly to get his attention but it is so cruel and blatant that it becomes disturbing. But then again, love is that way at times (just ask my ex-girlfriend). It hurts you and it gives you pleasure. Their relationship was doomed from the start due to their age difference and their race and religious differences. So it is inevitable that one goes out of the way to hurt the other.
Jean Jacques Annaud and his DP photograph the film beautifully. The sights and sounds of the 20's are lush and colourful and the film does a great job of convincing you that it is a time period of 70 some years ago. The acting is quite good as well. But I guess the only reason that I didn't like the film as much as I could have is that I, like a previous reviewer, felt almost voyeuristic and like a pedophile when watching the film. I am not opposed to nudity in film and I think when it furthers the story it is just as necessary as the music and the script. But seeing 20 year old March in as many comprimising positions as she was sort of made me feel, well, weird. Watching the two of them go at it was almost like watching soft core porn. It was great for me as a 21 year old man, but it also may have been a bit excessive. I am not saying that the film is bad because of it, I am just saying that it is weird to see as much as we do.
The Lover is a strange film and it will probably leave you odiously conflicted as well. In many ways it is a good film but in other ways it is just, well, weird. Here in lies the conflict. Do you praise it for all that it is, or do you denounce it for all that shows? Maybe both. Still, if you ever do come across it in a video store, it may be worth a look. It is different than almost anything you will see come out of mainstream Hollywood, and that is always refreshing. And dit also made my "ex" mad. Now that was worth the price of admission alone.