I may be biased in favor (in that I am no moralist and I think it deserves sympathy) but I did read all these excellent reviews before watching the movie, and found "Close My Eyes" an exceptionally sympathetic treatment of a taboo topic.
As a sociologist I got the impression this is not so much a movie "about incest" or "about infidelity" but more a study about the balance of power in romantic relationships, and especially about a woman's self-empowerment at the expense of 2 men by exercising her agency, taking hard decisions that may not be considerate or very well controlled, but are extremely assertive in that she refuses to do anything she doesn't want to. She is also endearingly innocent in not understanding the future consequences of her self-serving actions. It is enough to reduce grown men to tears. Saskia R's powerhouse performance must be breaking hearts and creating new fans every day. God bless the internet!
It is useless to debate the morality of incest or the ethicality of infidelity, though I dislike infidelity themed books and movies myself. Cinema is art not morals, and the performances of the 3 lead actors is extremely convincing, evoking strong emotions. The sexual tension is devastatingly acted out and literally "burns up the screen" but what shines through those dramatic events is the director's sensitivity and the great passion of the actors for their craft. That is precisely what makes "Close My eyes" great cinema, truly an excellent work!
(Being no movie critic myself, I found the acting and the direction first-class and will give it the full 10 stars. Critics kindly excuse.)
Spoiler alert:
*
*
*
Many reviews have offered the criticism that there was no proper reason for the sudden incestuous affair, but the protagonists provide extremely convincing explanations themself:
(1) Richard: you used me to spice up your stagnating marriage with the excitement of incest, and make yourself strong, but now you no longer need me (paraphrase)
(2) Natalie: there is no reason... maybe I've always fancied you. But I love you only as a brother. But you have become addicted to it and are beginning to love me as a lover. I need you as a friend. don't want this affair to continue (paraphrase -- meaning that there was no "deep emotion" leading to incest: she draws a clear line between love and lust, and won't leave her husband for her brother. Nor any guilt: the siblings enter a church to demonstrate this. Also, she ended the affair not because of incest but because she values her marriage more.)
(3) Her husband tells them both in the last scene (paraphrase): there was something unusual and very powerful between you that needed purging. I don't want to know any more... Can't you feel the intensity gone down already? It's over.
Since the dialogues are so explicitly clear we don't need to speculate about reasons ourself. These explanations make "Close My Eyes" a very articulate work. Thanks to all previous reviewers for giving me such a good conceptual basis before I saw this memorable film which packs a real emotional punch. Thanks too for reading my review!
As a sociologist I got the impression this is not so much a movie "about incest" or "about infidelity" but more a study about the balance of power in romantic relationships, and especially about a woman's self-empowerment at the expense of 2 men by exercising her agency, taking hard decisions that may not be considerate or very well controlled, but are extremely assertive in that she refuses to do anything she doesn't want to. She is also endearingly innocent in not understanding the future consequences of her self-serving actions. It is enough to reduce grown men to tears. Saskia R's powerhouse performance must be breaking hearts and creating new fans every day. God bless the internet!
It is useless to debate the morality of incest or the ethicality of infidelity, though I dislike infidelity themed books and movies myself. Cinema is art not morals, and the performances of the 3 lead actors is extremely convincing, evoking strong emotions. The sexual tension is devastatingly acted out and literally "burns up the screen" but what shines through those dramatic events is the director's sensitivity and the great passion of the actors for their craft. That is precisely what makes "Close My eyes" great cinema, truly an excellent work!
(Being no movie critic myself, I found the acting and the direction first-class and will give it the full 10 stars. Critics kindly excuse.)
Spoiler alert:
*
*
*
Many reviews have offered the criticism that there was no proper reason for the sudden incestuous affair, but the protagonists provide extremely convincing explanations themself:
(1) Richard: you used me to spice up your stagnating marriage with the excitement of incest, and make yourself strong, but now you no longer need me (paraphrase)
(2) Natalie: there is no reason... maybe I've always fancied you. But I love you only as a brother. But you have become addicted to it and are beginning to love me as a lover. I need you as a friend. don't want this affair to continue (paraphrase -- meaning that there was no "deep emotion" leading to incest: she draws a clear line between love and lust, and won't leave her husband for her brother. Nor any guilt: the siblings enter a church to demonstrate this. Also, she ended the affair not because of incest but because she values her marriage more.)
(3) Her husband tells them both in the last scene (paraphrase): there was something unusual and very powerful between you that needed purging. I don't want to know any more... Can't you feel the intensity gone down already? It's over.
Since the dialogues are so explicitly clear we don't need to speculate about reasons ourself. These explanations make "Close My Eyes" a very articulate work. Thanks to all previous reviewers for giving me such a good conceptual basis before I saw this memorable film which packs a real emotional punch. Thanks too for reading my review!