14/36
I’m not weird
Story
In 1950s Mexico City, a former American gunman in his forties lives a lonely life amidst a small American community. However, the arrival of a young student causes the man to finally make a meaningful connection with someone. Daniel Craig was ultimately the one to convince Luca Guadagnino to play Drew Starkey after watching the audition tapes with Guadagnino and telling him “It’s a boy” after seeing Starkey. [via telepathy] Eugene Allerton: I’m not weird. Lee… William Lee: I know. Eugene Allerton: I’m disembodied. Presents Orfej (1950).
It is an empty existence
IMAGE. This word has more than one meaning. The most common is “strange or odd.” The second most common usage is “homosexual.” Both meanings apply to this film, but the first is probably more apt. This film has much more in common with APOCALYPSE NOW than it does with BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. The story is about “Lee” a 50 year old man in the 1950s. He is an American who has achieved a certain level of material success and now lives a relatively hedonistic expatriate life in Mexico. He is an alcoholic and in the early stages of drug addiction. He spends his days and nights hanging out in gay bars and making meaningless connections with men with whom he has nothing in common except that they are gay.
What does he want?
He wishes he knew. He cannot put it into words. He meets a younger man who appears bisexual (his partner at the bar is a woman), but they have an affair. It is not particularly satisfying to him. He wants more from the young man than he is willing to give him. He eventually gets her to join him on a trip into the jungles of South America in search of a plant that contains a drug that is said to allow him to develop telepathic powers. He believes that this drug will help her understand what she wants without resorting to words. He is told that there is a shaman in the jungle who can get him the plant.
He opens a door that they cannot close
The two men head into the jungle and indeed find a woman who, played by Lesley Manville, is a brutal force – an old woman wielding a knife and a gun and who seems out for blood. They at least partially gain his trust, but he warns them not to do drugs. I am glad I saw this film, but it is not for everyone. The ending is enigmatic and the gay sex scenes may be too special for some people. It is not quite hard pornography, but especially thanks to the sound effects, it comes close. And the drug-induced hallucinations may be really disturbing for some people. This film is amazing to watch; the art direction and cinematography are excellent and every scene is beautifully composed. To me it reminded me of Edward Hopper’s paintings in its depiction of the objective isolation of the psyche.
HARRIS GOES TO PARIS
The acting is also excellent. Daniel Craig can break your heart by doing very little. I predict that both she and Lesley Manville will get Oscar nominations; Manville could win Best Supporting Actress. It wasn’t until I saw her name in the end credits that I realized this was the same actress who played the lead in MRS. This is a great show. I think this film will become a staple of the arthouse and arts circuit. It definitely deserves more than one viewing.
