Sunday, December 9, 2012

Amour


Michel Haneke is the master of many things. Tension, perhaps most prominently. But more specifically, the self-reflexing examination of tension as captured in moments of realism. For instance, what would you do if an unmarked videotape containing a two hour still shot of your front door, arrived at your doorstep? That’s the tension-laced situation that the characters of Haneke’s Caché spend several weeks of their lives trying to combat. It’s similar to how one would handle two polite teenagers who arrive at your door and refuse to leave. Or how one might react to being pestered senselessly on a subway station.

This, to me, is what links Haneke’s films: the tension of being placed in real life situations, and forcing you to decide what you would do, and how you would do it.

Haneke’s latest (and what some are calling, greatest) film, Amour contains a similar moment, albeit a far more mature one. (“Mature” may not be the fairest word, I’ll let you know in a bit.) Because, really, what would you do if, while making breakfast one innocent morning, your significant other suddenly disengaged in conversation and stared directly at you, without saying a word? You’d repeat their name over and over, pleading for a response. The seconds of silence would turn into minutes, which would feel like an eternity. Maybe after a while, you’d get up and try to find the nearest phone so you could call the nearest doctor.

Maybe, but who knows?
Now, while this scene happens rather early in Amour, that isn’t what the film is about. Instead, Haneke presents us with a searing, subtle, delicate examination of a life lived. Or lives, rather. We meet Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) late in their lives; long after he’s become cranky and insufferable, and she’s become used to it. Long after their careers as music teachers have entered retirement and their relationship with their only daughter, Eva (Isabelle Huppert) has become congenial at best.

We meet them right around the time Anne blankly fails to answer Georges at breakfast one morning, and we stay with them through her declining physical health, and his weakening emotional strength.

But, again, this isn’t necessarily what Amour is about. Trying to find a plot in a Haneke film will only prove to be a grand exercise in futility. Instead, Haneke chooses to sit back and slowly, painfully demonstrate human behavior at its most vulnerable. What’s an appropriate way for a husband to behave when his longtime wife falls ill, especially when (we sense) the majority of their time together was spent focusing on him? I’m not at all sure, but it is nothing short of fascinating to watch unfold through Haneke’s lens.
Jean-Louis Trintignant made a name for himself as a prominent actor of exceptional foreign films of the late ‘60s, early ‘70s. He starred in and damn near stole Gavras’ Z, Bertolucci’s The Conformist, Rohmer’s My Night at Maud’s, Granier-Deferre’s The Train and many more. He retired from acting years ago (delivering his last truly great performance in Kieślowski’s Red) but got back in the game specifically to work with Haneke. Thank Christ, for Trintignant’s work in Amour is some of the most devastating acting I’ve seen from any actor in this or any year. I never fully liked Georges, but I always sympathized with him. It’s a performance of remarkable subtly, one that deserves (but, sadly, I suspect, won’t receive) recognition for major awards this season.

Same goes for Emmanuelle Riva, who turns the progression of decay into an unrelenting work of mastery. As Anne gets worse, Riva’s performance gets better. Her work in Hiroshima mon amour and Kieślowski’s Blue proved she could act, but Amour proves she can own.

(A quick note on Isabelle Huppert. I’ve seen Huppert in many films, most notably Haneke’s The Piano Teacher. If she’s given a poor performance, then I haven’t witnessed it.)

Michael Haneke makes different kinds of movies for a different kind of audience. His films are tediously paced, remorselessly patient, shockingly (and hastily) violent, and, in my eyes, always masterful. When I said mature earlier, I merely meant that Amour is, perhaps, Haneke’s most restrained film. Nothing shocks or frightens, but everything scares. Earlier today, a friend of mine described Haneke’s work as a “sleeping pill.” That’s fair. But for someone like me, movies such as Amour feel more like oxygen than Ambien. A

22 comments:

  1. I don't mind slow-paced movies, as a rule -- I tend to prefer them. Many mainstream Hollywood movies seem too fast and superficial. (And no, I'm not a movie snob :-)).

    However, I've always shied away from Haneke's work. He's one of those directors who scares me a bit, kind of like Lars van Trier. (I did like Breaking the Waves, but that was mostly because of Emily Watson's performance -- love her!)

    Someone did recommend Cache as a movie to start with, when I'm ready to give Haneke's work a chance (and I think I should). And Amour is already on my watchlist. From the first time I heard about it, I had a hunch it was something I'd love. Since you describe it as his most restrained work, maybe I'll watch it first.

    Who knows, maybe it will be my gateway drug to Michael Haneke movies.

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    1. I loove slow movies too, no argument from me. See, that's interesting... of all people, I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on Haneke's films. I understand where the von Trier comparison is coming from, but believe me, they are very very different. Haneke is far more emotional, whereas von Trier is far more physical.

      I honestly think you'd like many of Haneke's films.

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  2. This is one of the film's I'm eager to see. I've only seen a few Haneke films in The Piano Teacher, Cache, and The White Ribbon and I love them all. I also love Jean-Louis Tritignant. I hope it comes to town within the next 2 months.

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    1. Oh man, I can't wait to hear what you think about this. I definitely hope it comes near you too.

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  3. This film devastated me. It just triggered all these feelings in me and I spent nearly every minute of it weeping or trying to control the weeping. I almost wish I had not watched it. I don't know if I like my movies *this* real.

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    1. Hey, fair enough, I totally get where you're coming from. Question, and if it's too personal, feel free to ignore: From your birthday posts/tweets, I got that you do not appreciate getting older, is that something that made you so devastated by this movie?

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    2. That was definitely one of the things.

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    3. Gotcha. Very interesting. I've always enjoyed tackling my fears via film. It's a sort of therapy for me, but then again, I'm an odd sonofabitch.

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  4. I admit I almost gave up when I watched this movie, but I remembered how much it took to watch it the first place, so I stayed. I never saw Haneke's films before. I agree it was tediously paced and very patient. But as a whole it was horrifying. Never saw a film like this before, and at the same time very romantic.

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    1. It is oddly romantic, isn't it?

      Great, honest comment here, Andina, thanks so much for your insight. I'd be really curious to hear what you think of other Haneke films. Let me know if you watch any!

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  5. Good review Alex. It's a downer of a movie, but at least the performances are beautiful and very powerful in how they develop over time. Not my pick for one of the best of the year, but a very memorable experience you have to be in the right mood to feel for.

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    1. Thanks Dan! Definitely a bit of downer, but a worthy one to me. It won't be my favorite of the year, but it'll be damn close. I simply love Haneke, and this film was so purely him.

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  6. I absolutely love, search for, and have a deep hunger movies that shoot me straight into reality; no pity, no holding back, just absolute reality and truth and honesty. When I saw this trailer, it was odd. But it's a different type of movie, a film that truly expresses human nature in its rawest form. And I haven't even seen it yet! I'll see this movie as soon as my local theater gets it. Excellent review, Alex.

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    1. My friend, you and I are going to get along quite well. I too love and seek out REAL movies like this one. And believe me, if those are the kinds of flicks you like, you would love Haneke's other films. Seen any?

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    2. Oddly, no. What's the first one you'd recommend?

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    3. Oh goodness, whatta question. For reference, my full Haneke write-up is here

      But I'd honestly recommend doing what I did, which is starting at the beginning and working your way down. The evolution of his career is simply fantastic to watch unfold. Cache and Funny Games US are arguably his most well known, and those are great. But if you do it chronologically, you surely won't be disappointed.

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  7. Great review man. Really looking forward to this one. As a Haneke fan, I really need to check out his work from the 80s and 90s. I actually think Riva will get an Oscar nomination, but it looks as if Trintignant will be overlooked.

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    1. Thanks dude. I cannot recommend all of his work highly enough. I mean really... he hasn't made a bad film in my eye. They're all so painful and honest. I hope both the leads get noms, but yeah, doubtful.

      How do you feel about foreign film this year? I'd kill to have Haneke nab it.

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    2. I think Amour gets nominated, but The Intouchables wins. And I'm even predicting Amour for Best Picture and Best Director nods! I don't trust voters on these things though. Amour could be this year's Amelie.

      I'd love for Haneke to win. Then again, it wouldn't be Haneke, technically. It would be his country. I wish the Oscars would officially nominate the director with his/her foreign film. Oh well. It'd still be awesome if the film wins.

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    3. The Intouchables, man... good film with a huge heart, but...? I think I gave it a B- and would definitely stick with that now. Good, but great...?

      Amour for Pic and Director will be tough as hell. Who knows though, critics are loving the shit out of it.

      I agree that the Foreign Film rules are fucked. Just like Best Doc, the regulations just get more and more complicated. Stupid.

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  8. Seeing this later in the week, I'm pretty excited. Awesome review by the way!

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    1. Thanks! It's a different kind of movie, that's for sure. I lot of people are finding it unbearably sad, but I thought it was refreshingly real.

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