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Sandra Hüller. © 2023 A24, Film4, Access, Polish Film Institute, JW Films, and Extreme Emotions. Directed by Jonathan Glazer. VFA Nominee - 6 VFAs Including "Best Motion Picture"
Watched it at 59th The Chicago International Film Festival @ AMC Theaters (CIFF #3)
Everything Seems Normal Until You Look Out of The Picture... The sounds of dread, death, and peace are through the house of a Nazi-oriented family. A manipulative view of peace and quiet is seen through the eyes of this family. Director Jonathan Glazer shows us a different perspective of a Nazi family who are living their lives like any other family, but secretly hear the violence playing in the background. It is a deeply rooted film through its psychological and philosophical presence. A film that may be uncomfortable to watch, but it will immerse you, keep you thinking throughout, and leave you in a complete state of mind when the credits roll. It is a film that represents the horror that we may be living in today, but Glazer lets us soak into this time when war was at its peak and fall during this critical point in human history. Let's go back to 1943 and take a peek at this family living next to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Story: A Nazi commandant tries to build a dream life for his family near the Auschwitz concentration camp. However, with leadership and international changes, he must find ways to keep his family stable while keeping his job and the future of the family. In the first few minutes of the film, it is totally pitch black. However, the film slowly brings up the dreaded and daunting music and sounds that seem unpleasant and unconformable. Yet, it is fitted with the theme and story of the film which showcases the first shot of the film where the family is enjoying a nice summer day like any other family would. Yet, when closely hearing the sounds through the speaker channels in the theater, I hear a small yet distinctive sound of work and possible gunshots in the distance. This is just the beginning of a film that utilizes sound as a character which elevates not only the experience but deeply connects to the family and the environment surrounding them. The sound design and mixing are flawless with the rich and unnerving sounds of the environment and the conversations of each family member. From the silent sounds to the loud chaos within the Auschwitz camp, it stresses and destresses your listening experience from scene to scene. There are moments where sound can be given as a breather moment but once those dreading sounds come back, the film pulls you in like an instant shock. The brilliant sound design of the camp sounds, the nature and home environment, and even each room tone gave a sense of nervousness and sometimes fear. Fear is the message with the sound design and mixing of the film which gives the entire experience a memorable experience but in a unpleasant way. If there was no dialogue and just pure sound, this film still would be a masterpiece due to the sheer amount of haunting dreaded audio from the camp and the calm noises from the home environment. It is like two worlds smashing into one which creates some of the most haunting sounds I have heard in film and by the end, I left shocked. I felt like I was watching this film in a museum with its presentation and this should absolutely be in museums around the world. It is a work of art. I didn't even get to the score of the film yet in this review and it is also very memorable and disturbing. Within the music, it gets distorted through the instrumental score with hushed piano music mixing in the entire score. There isn't a lot of music in the film but when it is present, it hits you silently. It is atmospheric through and through which steps up the cinematic experience. If I were an Academy member, this would easily win best sound at the Oscars without a doubt including a nomination for music as well! Yet, as a critic, I love the amount of detail and expression within the sound design in every second. Before I lose myself in the fantastic sound work, the story and characters drive the film forward which accompanies interesting philosophical themes that are being challenged throughout the film for audiences. Ever since I finished taking that "Philosophical Issues in Film" class during the fall semester, I have been more deeply into philosophy than ever before which leads me to this film filled with philosophical interpretations. Before I dive into the philosophical themes, let's take a look at the story of this film which is based on a book based on the same name. Even though it is based on a true story, many of the story plot points are based on the novel with some dramatic storytelling being added for dramatic effect. There isn't much dialogue within the story but the relationship between the mother and father of the family we follow is apparent and focused. Throughout the film, the film quickly shifts to the father's point of view while it switches back to the mother. There is a balance between those characters which gives a fresh view of their family actions and the life they are living. It gives us empathy for these characters in their lives and while we know that they are a Nazi family, that is mostly landed on the father. The father is pretty much the protagonist or even the antagonist of the film. Yet, Glazer lets us into the family's home and live into the moment of their lives from their morning routine until they go to bed. That is the most crucial part of the film because it deals with this family. If it was just focused on the father, it wouldn't be a strong story, let alone, the whole point of the film. Glazer uses the occasional character development for all characters but there is little for each family member until the Nazis are starting to lose or where there is conflict in the family. For some, it will feel late, but for me, it fits well into the structure of the story and it feels natural within the context of the situation. This is not a typical family drama. It is more experimental within its technical filmmaking and its directing style of Glazer. Yet, with the storytelling narrative being also the focus, Glazer allows his interpretation of the characters to feel real and write them in interesting ways like the way they react to the slow defeat of Nazi Germany and the fall of the Auschwitz camp. Even from their kids, they are raising them to think that they are going to be future Nazi soldiers and have nice families in the Nazi regime. When watching it through, it is very sad to see how these children were raised in this environment which makes it devastating and you feel a bit of sympathy for them, but you quickly remember that they are still part of the Nazis. It can be emotionally complex based on your relationship with the history of WWII and the Nazis, but it also manipulates your feelings about the family alone. There is so much depth within the storytelling of the film but by the third act of the film, the plot takes into a whole new direction that exceeds the first two acts and makes the ending devasting and real. There is so much to praise with this film but the one thing I would like to explore is its philosophical themes about the family, war, and the Holocaust. Even though this film is focused on a Nazi family, you can't ignore the fact that this is one of the many tragic stories of the Holocaust. It is devasting to witness a family living near the Auschwitz concentration camp where you hear gunshots, screaming, mining sounds, and death. It is heartbreaking and it feels like your breath is out for two hours due to the sheer experience throughout the film that you are being sucked into. The way the Holocaust is being viewed here is interesting because you don't see the camp inside. You only hear sounds from outside. However, the film lets you briefly enter the camp but with no actual sight of the camp. Only the father monitoring the camp while you hear the loud gunshots, mining, and crying in close proximity. That is one of the few moments in the film that brought a true horror aspect and it has stuck with me ever since. There are moments in the film where they talk about the killing of the Jews which made me sick to my stomach and I was very uncomfortable witnessing that. Yet, it was necessary and it is not an easy film to watch. Even though there are not any real disturbing scenes, it is still disturbing with the context behind it including the way these characters talked and treated the Jews. The final ten minutes of the film is where the Holocaust takes its importance over the family with a silent memorial of the Jews in which the father doesn't know what his future holds. It is a brilliant yet sad ending that I will not forget.
With its philosophical themes that Glazer is tackling like the problem of evil, ethics, and morality, it makes the psychological part of the characters a bit more complex. Evil is depicted in the film through the family actions with the Jews and the father working near the camp. There aren't a lot of on-screen evil actions but through the tone and atmosphere of the film, you can sense the evil and fear within the walls of the house and the camp walls as well. A sense of horror and dread is blocked off from the outside walls of the camp which questions the true evil within the family. Who is the problem of evil in the family? What is the problem of evil in the family? So many interpretations can be expanded but one thing to note is that evil is being hidden from the family except the father. He's the true evil person in the family and when he realizes that the Nazis are losing, his evil starts to die and he will be forgotten. He also has no morality in the Jews unfortunately except the mother but maybe not the kids. Morality is also being juggled here but their ethics within the family are very centered and we get to see it play out in the family. Some morality is developed between the family and their Jew workers but no morality is developed by the father which makes his character a bit soulless to have empathy. Yet, from a philosophical point of view, that makes his character a bit more sinister. The philosophical elements can be seen through its visual presentation than its character storytelling but it allows more interoperations of evil and morality within the characters and ethics running through the family. Through all of this storytelling, Glazer ultimately uses the technical part of filmmaking to bring this story in a thoughtful yet immersive dark experience of this tragic and haunting story.
The way this film was shot is quite simple. Yet, it is beautiful and the framing is exquisite and intentional. There are no handheld or gimble shots being used. It is purely static and tripod shots in every shot of the film. There are a quite few dolly shots but there are no pure moving shots which helps the film to not break the illusion that the film is intended for. Plus, the way the cameras are being positioned in the house feels like a camera watching them at all times. It gives a Big Brother feel to the experience of the film and with its slow pacing, it feels like it was playing in real time. The editing is brilliant with its sound mixing and editing. There are interesting editing choices that made the experience a bit more real. There is also a sense of rhythm through each scene with its pacing in each pivotal sequence and when it hits nighttime in the film, the editing keeps that rhythm momentum going like a CCTV camera. Even during the scenes with the mother and father, it only cuts up close to the person who is feeling a sense of uncomfortable or taking control of the conversation. The editing is better described when you watch the film. The production design is also fantastic and while the film is just in the house with some great VFX being placed with the wall and the camp, it takes a step further into the house. Even way beyond the house with its underground system and in the final act, it goes beyond the house. There is one aspect that may be overlooked but it is the costume design of the film. With the context of the story, it is scary to think that some of the costumes being worn could have been dead Jews and there is one scene where Sandra Hüller's character is trying out a nice winter coat. However, that winter coat belonged to a Jew, and seeing a Nazi mother wearing that was honestly shocking. The colors on certain characters' costumes including the father give a sense of authority, system, and emotional state. Even if we go back to the cinematography, the colors are mudded yet vivid with some standout colors like white, green, and gray. It feels like a documentary at certain moments but at the same time, it feels like you are actually being there. That feeling of if it is a documentary or a narrative feature. That blur is present throughout because of the fantastic production of the film and it is one of the best technical films of 2023. As I look back on the film, I don't see any major flaws besides that this film could be very slow for some people, despite being a 105-minute film. I didn't feel that at all throughout. However, I feel like I wish there was more family drama but I don't think that was the point of the film. It can be mixed for some people who had family members who experienced the Holocaust or had relations with the war in Germany. I know it can be emotionally complex for folks out there so I have nothing against that. This is not an easy film to watch. It will destroy your mood for the entire day or night. Yet, it is an important film that everyone should watch. Jonathan Glazer takes this important story and unfolds it into a daunting experience that will leave you numb or speechless. It is an important film that interestingly explores the Holocaust through a Nazi family but without seeing the Jews in the camp. It blocks you from seeing the horrors within the camp by keeping the "beauty" of the family right in front of your eyes. It can be manipulative but the film gets its point across with its dark themes about humanity, morality, and history. The ending is what made me say this film is a work of modern art. This should be shown in schools and show both sides of the events of the Holocaust. This film even made me join a course about the history of the Holocaust. Film can really impact you in so many ways and this film successfully did that. Even though I know the Holocaust in general, I still wanted to learn the many stories that aren't being told through the eyes of the Jews and Germans during this crucial event in human history. A true work of cinematic film art.
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Vizeit Score: "A+"
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Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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