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Jane Eyre (1996)
Solid and Engaging; Zeffirelli knows his way around classics
I first saw this movie at thirteen, and it was my introduction to the Brontë sisters' work. I read the novel shortly after, and it soon became a favourite. I subsequently watched every adaptation in part or in whole, but Franco Zeffirelli's remains the best in my book.
Zeffirelli is a master at adapting classic stories, and his approach here is quite realistic. Every performer's act is nuanced; each makes his character credible, including the children, which is not the case for most other adaptations. Jane Eyre's friendship with Helen Burns is beautifully depicted and left me in tears. Charlotte Gainsbourg as the adult protagonist fits the character's physical description perfectly, and opposed to Elle Macpherson's model-like Blanche Ingram, we can totally buy Jane's self-loathing and despair as she longs for Rochester's love. Maria Schneider delivers the most frightening Bertha Mason performance I have seen so far, so much so that I nearly had a sleepless night after watching this as a teenager. For the first time in my life, I considered the horror of losing one's mind.
Some take issue with mild changes brought to condense the story into a two-hour movie. Most alterations are based on something mentioned in Brontë's book, including the variant in the last chapters; instead of wandering through the moors and miraculously stumbling upon her relatives' doorstep, a sick and heartbroken Jane returns to Gateshead Hall (according to the book, her cousin Eliza left it to a missionary organization), and the resident missionaries look after her. She is informed by one of her male caretakers that she inherited an important sum from the Madeira uncle who had been looking for her. This young, kind and comely fellow (named St. John Rivers, like the original character), proposes to Jane, but she refuses politely. The ending is like the book in every other way.
I own this movie and have watched it many times through the years. You can enjoy and fully understand it without having read the novel. The Victorian costumes are sumptuous, the photography, splendid, the music, evocative. The emotions build up slowly and when they reach their climax, you can truly empathize with the characters. I appreciate how the film explores Jane's love for drawing; we even see several pieces from her portfolio with Rochester commenting. This attention to detail shows the quality of film-making involved here. I highly recommend it.
Harriet the Spy (1996)
A Visual Treat with Puzzling Life Lessons
I wasn't much older than Harriet M. Welsch when I first watched this movie. I remember enjoying it but feeling funny about the moral aspect of it. I have rewatched it a few times since, and decided to read Louise Fitzhugh's 1964 novel before writing this review. The movie is rather faithful to Fitzhugh's work even if it is set in the 1990's. My feeling hasn't changed much after all these years, and I am still puzzled about the life lessons we find in this unusual story.
I will start by acknowledging the colourful costumes and sets and the stimulating photography. The movie is fun to watch and both child and adult actors are believable in their respective roles. Harriet the Spy follows the adventures of sixth-grader Harriet Welsch, an aspiring writer who believes snooping on her neighbours and taking notes is the best way to learn her trade. Harriet is from a well-off family and has a nanny named Golly. In the novel, most of the school children are rich and have maids and cooks. They attend a private school and wear uniforms. The movie has removed many of these elements to make the children relatable to a wider audience. But Golly is such an essential character, she could not be removed. Golly encourages the girl to write, exposes her to various people and places, but also acts as a moral compass. When under various circumstances Golly decides that her ward is old enough to fend for herself, the woman leaves and Harriet is deeply affected. Soon after, her classmates find one of her notebooks and read the harsh comments she made about them. Harriet is very judgemental in her writing, and her classmates all turn against her, even her two best friends. They begin playing mean tricks on her and Harriet strikes back. Harriet's parents take her to a psychologist because she has become mean and depressive and has been caught by a police officer for trespassing. The way Harriet finds her motivation again is through a visit from Golly and being assigned the role of sixth-grade newspaper editor so she can turn her writing obsession into something useful.
Now, I understand the notion of not talking down to children. Fitzhugh wished to present a realistic portrait of their minds and lives and Harriet is not meant to be a role model at all. Still, I don't find the outcome very believable. I don't understand how all of a sudden, Harriet's classmates vote for her as new editor after all she has done to them. They show a form of grace that is not realistic and is unjustified. Harriet is not exactly repentant, yet she is rewarded for her misdeeds. In the film, Harriet begins to write kinder things from that point on and learns to drop her hasty judgement on people. This adds a redemptive side to the story, but in the novel, she hasn't changed much and is actually allowed to publish her mean comments about people, the kind of elements she jots down in her notebooks. So, you will see why I am uneasy about the conclusion. But go ahead and watch it and you be the judge.
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore. (2017)
This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through
I will write this review from a Christian perspective because "I don't feel at home in this world anymore" took me by surprise in that regard. The film's title is taken from an old gospel song that is also part of the soundtrack. I was drawn to the story line as I've found myself in the lead characters' emotional position often and was recovering from depression when I first watched it.
In this directorial debut, Macon Blair takes us on a humorous, yet thought-provoking ride in which a gentle nurse named Ruth becomes increasingly disgusted with the ugliness she sees in the world. From pollution to indifference, human meanness, suffering and death, Ruth's exasperation reaches its peak when she comes home from work to find her house burglarized. She feels utterly violated and chooses to confide in a close friend. We see her reading a children's book to her friend's daughter that describes the human body as mere "dust and gases from inside of stars. The universe is 14 billion years old. No one knows what came before." For the first time, this materialistic narrative of meaninglessness sinks in and Ruth starts sobbing. The perturbed child calls for her mother. A sorry Ruth whispers "Jesus!" and I don't believe it was only meant as a swear. The nurse helplessly tells her sympathetic friend that nothing matters anyway; we are just carbon; we all die and are forgotten.
Finding the police force rather unhelpful, Ruth tries to recover her stolen items by herself and gather some information from her neighbours. She makes friends with Tony in the process, a rat-tailed, martial arts-loving dog owner who takes her seriously and agrees to help. Their vigilante investigation will have them mingle with dangerous individuals, leading an angry Ruth to make bold decisions Tony doesn't always agree with. Ruth is indeed puzzled to discover Tony prays and goes to church. He even once takes her to a Sunday afternoon service to cheer her up.
As violence erupts at the hand of the burglars and Tony's life ends up hanging in the balance, Ruth sobers up from her vengeful spell and turns to God for meaning. We see her attending church on her own and learning to find hope beyond this fallen world. We also see some justice being served outside of human intervention which certainly contributes to Ruth's improved attitude. "I don't feel at home in this world anymore" is a refreshingly dark comedy with rich dialogue and clever moments. The acting is top notch. Expect some violence and language (nothing gratuitous), but if you can withstand this, don't miss it.
Little Women (2019)
Chronological Disorder
I am writing this review from the perspective of a writer and a spinster who has a lot in common with the character of Josephine March. I had only seen the 1994 film adaptation and read half of Louisa May Alcott's novel when I watched this movie. I will start off by stating how splendid the photography is and how Saoirse Ronan's performance is excellent as Jo. She is well-suited to play this role, although her physical appearance doesn't quite match the novel's description. Inspired from Alcott's own struggle with the loneliness independent women experience and the frequent discouragement writers know, Greta Gerwig's script provides a realistic portrait of women like Jo March.
My praise stops here because I cannot understand why Gerwig chose to tell this story through a chaotic timeline, as if she put all of the film's scenes in a jar, shook it and told the story in the order the pieces fell on the cutting table. I also found most of the characters to be poorly cast, especially Amy March. She is not believable at all as a child played by an adult and her voice is so low, it's almost bizarre. The ensemble cast made no sense to me either as there was no effort put in finding actresses who looked alike as sisters. Beth March is my favourite character in the 1994 adaptation and Claire Danes' performance is heart-wrenching. The same cannot be said about Gerwig' Beth who acts as a mere watermark in this adaptation. The irregular timeline did not help at all in this regard because Beth's crucial role in the creation of her sister's masterpiece needs build-up to be effective. The 1994 version captures this and Jo's ultimate moment of inspiration wonderfully. Another aspect I did not appreciate was Gerwig's attempt at pushing contemporary feminism and America-shaming elements through her script (I'm writing this as a French Canadian). It felt forced.
I believe the film is still worth a watch as it captures some of Jo March's emotions exquisitely and presents powerful dialogue at times. But you will need patience to pull through the chronological disorder and get to the best parts.
Emily of New Moon (1998)
Excellent production values, disappointing script
I discovered this series as a teenager when it first aired on CBC television and read the books as a result, but I am reviewing it now that I have the proper maturity to appreciate its qualities and flaws. I will mention I only watched the first season and a good part of the second for reasons that will become obvious as you read along. I had begun watching the series when my sister-in-law noticed my interest and lent me L. M. Montgomery's Emily trilogy. I devoured all three books over the summer and Emily of New Moon remains one of my favourite novels to this day. I was raised Protestant in Québec, a post-Catholic secular culture, and had rarely found fiction I could relate to growing up. The Murrays' Presbyterian lifestyle felt familiar and Emily's innocent musings on legalistic attitudes were hilarious and on point. Upon finishing the books, I realized how far Marlene Matthews, the TV series developer, veered from the source material. She took the books' few uncanny events suggesting Emily Starr has second sight and turned the character into a clairvoyant who communes with the dead on a regular basis. She turned kind spinster Laura Murray into a mentally unstable woman with a complex love life. She replaced Elizabeth Murray with a new character after one season. I have read these choices had to do with some of the actors' demands and decisions, but I wonder how a production can claim to be based upon an author's work while resembling fan fiction to such a high degree. I think Montgomery would be offended by many of Matthew's changes as they do not reflect her beliefs and her era. It would have been good to have Presbyterians and historians review the script before going into production. After two seasons, all the series still had in common with the books were the names and places. The trilogy may be considered youth literature, but the series is not suited for children. Too many mature themes and disturbing images. I will still say the cast is top notch, the music beautiful, the costumes and sets splendid. And with Prince Edward Island brilliantly photographed as a backdrop, it is still worth a watch. I am somewhat fond of it because it helped me visualize Montgomery's characters and places while reading her books. I believe it made the experience richer.
Deep Impact (1998)
A credible look at fatalism, but too many characters
An unusual take at the popular disaster movie trope that explores fatalism in a moving and credible way. Deep Impact shows both the resignation and chaos that would ensue if only a select few were chosen to survive a comet collision. The long-winded film features many characters and it is one of its weaknesses as it would be more effective if it focused on a few.
The Rain (2018)
Worth your while
Having had a Scandinavian phase in my early twenties, I was curious about The Rain when I discovered it was made in Denmark. I am also drawn to stories featuring brothers and sisters, and it was this that convinced me to give the series a try. I wasn't sure where The Rain was going at first as it is not devoid of awkward and unrealistic moments, but the pace is good and the story engaging.
The answers given to explain the aggressive virus that kills the majority of people in the Copenhagen area while Simone Andersen and her younger brother Rasmus are kept in a bunker come gradually. We get to wonder who did this and for what reasons, as it soon becomes apparent that crooked men have planned the epidemic. With its conspiracy elements and gloomy atmosphere, The Rain is reminiscent of The X-Files at times.
As they exit the bunker after six years, Simone and Rasmus join a group of young people who have developed great survival skills but have lost their sense of civility, being ready to shoot anyone who might threaten their lives in one way or another. The actors portraying the young people look ordinary, making their characters relatable. I was agreeably surprised to see a Christian girl among the group. She is depicted as compassionate, principled and a spiritual counselor to her friends instead of the religious caricature we often see with this type of character.
On the negative side, there are many instances of silliness, romantic conversations and love-making between the characters who can seemingly snap out of the survival mode and enjoy their lives at will. These incongruous scenes are usually complemented with upbeat electronic music as an odd attempt to brighten up the mood.
What I find interesting about The Rain is that it shows how far survival instincts can take us when we are ready to kill or abandon our loved ones to save ourselves. It also shows how far siblings are sometimes willing to go to protect and defend each other, doing more than their parents are willing to do for them. I recommend it.
The Pinkertons (2014)
Agreeably surprised
I've been trying to explore what constitutes Canadian culture for many years and was disappointed to find that most shows and movies suggested as Canadian content on Netflix tell American stories or feature popular American actors as the lead. What's the deal with that? Do Canadians despise their own stories and actors? The Pinkertons is one of these shows: shot in Manitoba, featuring Canadian actors, but telling American detective stories set in Kansas city.
Now, I grew up watching Martha MacIsaac star as Emily Starr in the the 1990's-2000's tv adaptation of L. M. Montgomery's Emily of New Moon, a book I love very much and have read many times. That adaptation was very unfaithful to the original material, but MacIsaac showed potential and I was curious to see her in The Pinkertons. It was fun to see her all grown up and doing a fine job as Kate Warne. The production elements are great, the photography is splendid and I'm generally enjoying this. I must say I have an issue with instances of politically correct revisionism and Warne sounding like a self-righteous at times. It is particularly cringe-worthy in the episode "To the Sunset" that deals with Indigenous Americans, Christian missionaries and the "White Man". All characters (even Warne and Will Pinkerton) suddenly become weird caricatures and every scene is awkward to watch. But apart from this, the series is well-made and Jacob Blair and Martha MacIsaac have composed an interesting duo of detectives. I only wish the producers had drawn inspiration from the Pinkertons and created a Canadian equivalent instead of telling these American stories. Americans don't need us to tell their stories for them. They generally have better resources than we have to do so.
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)
Better than the novel
I watched this film having no expectations and no preconceived ideas at all. I never saw the first movie and had never read Lee Child's series. I am not an action flick fan, but I like a good detective plot. I am not fond of Tom Cruise, but I don't mind him if the story and the characters are interesting. I liked the character he played here, although it is his sidekick Susan Turner that really drew my attention. Cobie Smulders made Major Turner very credible. She is strong and cold-blooded, yet noble and principled. I liked her enough to want to read the novel, which I did afterwards. That was a disappointment. The movie script took the best elements of the book and made it concise and effective, letting go of some unnecessary detours and confrontations. The characters are better developed over all. The relationship between Reacher and Turner is mostly platonic in the film adaptation, which I like. There is a work partner dynamic between them and sometimes, inevitable tension. I was not expecting them to sleep together and to get along so well in the book. Reacher's possible daughter Samantha Dayton has an important role in the film, but only appears for a short while in the book. I believe it was a wise choice to give her a bigger role as Reacher, Turner and Sam make an interesting trio. Not the best film I've seen, and you need to have some basic information about Jack Reacher to know what this story is about at first, but I enjoyed it.
Maelström (2000)
Disturbing film about grace?
Made in Québec, Maelström tells the story of Bibiane Champagne, a young entrepreneur stuck in a downward spiral leading to a suicide attempt and redemption through a relationship with a man whose father she hit and killed while drunk driving.
Denis Villeneuve's film opens with his lead character undergoing an abortion. We then see Bibiane giving a phone call in the elevator declaring: "It's settled." Showing up at work, she is fired by her business partner, her own brother, for bad management that cost the clothing company $200 000. Bibiane is comforted by her friend Claire, an intellectual who's had three abortions herself. Claire has come to pamper Bibiane and help her get back to normal. "You must not feel guilty" she insists. But Bibiane is feeling increasingly bad. Claire throws a party in her apartment and Bibiane drinks heavily to daze her conscience. On her way home, she hits an old fishmonger crossing the street and drives on, leaving him half-conscious on the road. The man manages to get home and dies sitting in his kitchen chair. Bibiane is under shock. Her guilt reaches a peak, so she takes some drugs and heads to the discotheque to meet someone and have sex. Unable to escape her inner turmoil and wanting to get rid of any evidence of the hit and run, she tries to push her car into the Saint-Lawrence River. After some unsuccessful efforts, she resolves to drive it into the water and kill herself at once. The young woman survives and gets another chance at life. When Bibiane goes to the funeral home where her victim's ashes are, she meets the fishmonger's son Evian and pretends to be a neighbour. Evian asks her to help him sort his father's things, and she accepts. Love is kindled and Bibiane finally admits she is the murderer, asking Evian to kill her. Evian is torn, but chooses to forgive her and allows Bibiane to find grace.
Put into context, this is a surprising film. Bibiane evolves in the most atheistic place in North America, a province with one of the highest suicide rates in the world and where one baby out of four is aborted. Christian symbolism is nonetheless very present in this story, as if Québec's conscience was screaming out for salvation. We see Bibiane numerous times in the shower trying to get clean, but only reconciliation through the son leads her to freedom.