November 2nd 2024
A Different Man
Mozart's Sister
Four more films from JIFF
A selection of dramatically differing films are reviewed this week, two on mainstream release and another four from the Jewish Film Festival.
A Different Man
Dir: Aaron Schimberg
Length: 112 mins
 |
© Kismet - can a change of face change
the man underneath? |
There have been several films about facial deformities, including Mask, Wonder, Elephant Man, and now this drama/comedy about aspiring actor, Edward, (Sebastian Stan) who suffers from neurofibromatosis, a disease creating grotesque tumours on his face. When doctors try out an experimental treatment on him, he is miraculously cured, and he appears "normal". Not wishing for people to know who he was, he now calls himself Guy, starts to have longed-for success with women, including his neighbor, playwright Ingrid (Renate Reinsve). But can Edward/Guy ever escape the person he really is inside? This whip-smart film has much going for it. It is a cutting and funny examination of self-image, societal perceptions of beauty, and the dangers of trying to escape and change who we innately are. Ironies abound. Guy meets Oswald (Adam Pearson), who suffers the same disease but is self-confident and popular. Things Guy hopes for seem to easily fall into Oswald's lap, while Guy's transformation steadily becomes more of a nightmare than a blessing. A nominee for a Golden Bear, the film also won a best actor award for Stan. The fabulous final line of dialogue says it all! 4 - highly recommended
Mozart's Sister
Dir: Madeleine Hetherton-Miau
Length: 98 mins
 |
© Sharmill - two equally gifted children, but
gender will be critical to success |
Maria Anna Mozart, older sister of the child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, also composed and played music. When the siblings were young, their father Leo toured them throughout Europe, but when Maria Anna reached her teen years, being a woman, she was made to remove herself from the public gaze. The documentary combines investigative techniques, interviews, and dramatic reenactments, to explore the life and times of the Mozarts - an era in which women were not allowed to participate in the public arena. Various interviewees from around the world, ranging from composers, researchers, orchestra conductors and actors, pore over musical manuscripts, create theatrical pieces, and speculate on who wrote what, while expressing their love for the music of both Mozarts. As the film progresses, it also becomes a condemnation of the patriarchy, which even up until today, marginalises women in the field of classical music. Lovers of this genre of music will find much to enjoy.3.5 - well recommended
Jewish International Film Festival
Melbourne: Until December 4th
Venues: Classic Elsternwick, Lido Hawthorn, Cameo Belgrave
The festival is in full swing, and I've caught several more excellent films for your consideration.
Seven Blessings: The overwhelming winner at the Israeli Oscars, the story sheds light on the traditions of an extended Moroccan Jewish family living in Israel. Marie, who now lives in Paris, comes to Jerusalem for her wedding to Dan, where the couple are expected to partake of a week of family feasts. But old wounds are opened up, and some deeply buried family secrets exposed. The film starts off in a comedic vein but soon takes a serious turn, exploring the hurt and resentment buried deep within Marie. The vexed relationship between her mother and aunt is superbly portrayed, as are the particularly Moroccan customs, not to mention, the food.
A Photographic Memory: Rachel Seed was only 18 months old when her mother died. Now 30 years later she unearths audio recordings of her mother interviewing some of the most famous photographers of the 20th century. Through her mother's voice on the tapes, and the photos, Rachel begins to connect with a woman she never knew. This is a moving film, causing us to reflect upon mortality, and the important legacy left by photography.
A Real Pain: Already garnering plenty of awards, Jesse Eisenberg's film of two mismatched cousins exploring their past, is a lovely mix of humour and pathos. David (played by Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) head off on a guided Holocaust tour of Poland and to visit their grandmother's home. The cousins are third generation Holocaust survivors living in America, and they are as different to each other as chalk and cheese. David is a stressed out, nervous retiring type, while Benji is loud, irreverent and seemingly self-confident, his brashness masking an extreme vulnerability. Culkin (unforgettable as Roman in Succession) is a powerhouse in his role. Ably supporting the two leads are a motley crew of characters: an African ex-child soldier who has converted to Judaism, a recently widowed woman, and an old couple, along with their non-Jewish tour guide. Visits to Jewish graveyards, and the site of a ghetto and a concentration camp, bring home the seriousness of the tour, in a careful counterbalance to the moments of levity and craziness. The intimacy of the cousins' relationship, in opposition to the vastness of the Holocaust history make a good yin and yang in the film's overall feel.
The Plot Against Harry: This old 1969 black and white film was once called "a neglected masterpiece ... a classic of Jewish humour". It's the story of Harry Plotnick who gets out of jail after nine months, and initially tries to regain his turf in the racketeering business before deciding he ought to go straight. The cast of characters in this film are oddly memorable in their own bizarre way - Chinese and Latino mobsters, Harry's endlessly smiling brother-in-law, and his lovely ex-wife Kay, who introduces Harry to two daughters he didn't really ever know. There are oddly familiar scenes of barmitzvahs, fashion shows, and various parties, throughout which Harry barely smiles, and always seems to come off second best. There is something refreshing about the film's realistic style, and the fact there are no known stars in it - oddball but entertaining.
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