Reviews

Hal Hartley layered this masterpiece so seamlessly that it cannot be considered except as a whole.

The essence of this film is the importance of great art and that one can, and should, commit oneself to the creation of great art independent of what any and all others think.

Richard Lattimore, in the poem "If" wrote:

"Do it then/if you do/incontrovertibly know/the worst thing you have done/is the best thing under the sun/if it was written true/if it was meant to be so."

Simon Grim is gripped by the power of art, of a great lyrical work of poetry that leaves him no choice but to submit to it without reservation. Ultimately, its power, like a brutal gravitational force, warps the lives of those around him, and yet Simon himself, while transformed, is left largely untouched.

Riots ensue. A school is burned down. One woman dies and a child is born. A worthless scoundrel becomes an ordinary, blue-collar father. A garbage man wins the Pulitzer prize.

And yet I have not even touched upon what is truly great in this movie. It is only in the madness of poetry that one can drink of its greatness. If you have the capacity to be mad, to love, to dream, then perhaps this movie is for you. You will find your soul refreshed.

If not, you will say to yourself, "What a maniac!" and think no more of it.

But there are few true chances for inspiration in this life, and this is one of them. So much the worse for you if this chance is lost to you.