I agree with some of the previous reviewers comments - this is wonderfully shot and the soundtrack is excellent - but wholly disagree with the rest of his comments.
This movie is best thought of as part Cronenberg, part JG Ballard, part financial drama. It's a weird mix, which is where the greatness occurs. I short, this is a film that feels very different from the usual Hollywood fair (see High Rise for something more akin to this). It's both beautiful and unsettling.
Much worse movies are made for much more money. Sure, everything is not spelt out for you, but why is that a problem? We tend to forget that movies are about fantasy, the fictional depiction of human emotions. Everything doesn't have to "realistic" and relatable, it just needs to convey its personality and ambiance.
There's not a single bad performance here, although to be fair, the protagonist is the on the screen almost the entire time, often alone. There is a sense of a candle burning brightly, and then extinguishing in a short time with wisps of dialog and visuals trailing away like smoke.
I watch a lot of movies, but don't usually review them. I watch a lot of very dull film making, and this is the proverbial "breath of fresh air". It's something that will reward multiple viewings.
Ultimately, it's the mood that carries the films intentions, as an aroma conveys the beauty of a flower. This sucks you in, silences a room, and transports you to the mindspace of a world of chaos, reduced to a simple fact of life. That it anchors itself in a very real financial disaster just adds weight. Even as the banks were crashing, poetry was being written.
This movie is best thought of as part Cronenberg, part JG Ballard, part financial drama. It's a weird mix, which is where the greatness occurs. I short, this is a film that feels very different from the usual Hollywood fair (see High Rise for something more akin to this). It's both beautiful and unsettling.
Much worse movies are made for much more money. Sure, everything is not spelt out for you, but why is that a problem? We tend to forget that movies are about fantasy, the fictional depiction of human emotions. Everything doesn't have to "realistic" and relatable, it just needs to convey its personality and ambiance.
There's not a single bad performance here, although to be fair, the protagonist is the on the screen almost the entire time, often alone. There is a sense of a candle burning brightly, and then extinguishing in a short time with wisps of dialog and visuals trailing away like smoke.
I watch a lot of movies, but don't usually review them. I watch a lot of very dull film making, and this is the proverbial "breath of fresh air". It's something that will reward multiple viewings.
Ultimately, it's the mood that carries the films intentions, as an aroma conveys the beauty of a flower. This sucks you in, silences a room, and transports you to the mindspace of a world of chaos, reduced to a simple fact of life. That it anchors itself in a very real financial disaster just adds weight. Even as the banks were crashing, poetry was being written.