Reviewed by Doug Cooper
Stars Christian Friedel, Ernst Jacobi, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur, Ursina Lardi,
Burghaut Klaussner, Steffi Kuhnert, Rainer Rock, Susanne Lothar | Written by Michael Haneke
UK certification 15 | UK RRP £19.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 144 minutes | Directed by Michael Haneke
Michael Haneke's latest movie won the Palme D'Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and is a slow, studied and sombre affair with black and white cinematography and no music score.
It tells the story of a small farming village in Germany prior to the First World War and the unsettling events that befall its inhabitants. Accidents start to occur and there is no explanation for them at first. The doctor is involved in a riding accident, the baron's son is beaten and tortured, a barn is set on fire, a handicapped child is blinded. Who is causing these misdeeds?
The village teacher begins to unravel clues but this is in not an intriguing mystery. What comes to light does not surprise. It is more a tale of generational conflict, the sons and daughters paying the price for their respective fathers' misdemeanours - and perhaps exacting subtle revenge? The baron is uncaring to his wife, the pastor inscrutable in overzealously disciplining his children, the doctor displays secret sexual tastes that are questionable, the tenant farmer is suicidal and the steward nastily violent to his offspring. It takes a long while though to see the characters in their true colours. A great deal of patience is required as it subtly draws you in. There is hardly anyone to sympathise with and precious little joy or harmony in the proceedings. And eventually, when all the pieces finally fit together, one cannot say that one is fully satisfied.
Nevertheless, it is still a skillfully woven effort with suberbly controlled direction, everything done with the utmost precision and care. A cold movie certainly but undeniably impressive if you're prepared to make the effort. Haneke makes you work for the rewards and the result is admirable but not always affecting.
EXTRAS *** A making-of featurette; the documentary Portrait of Michael Haneke; an exclusive UK interview with Haneke; a Cannes FIlm Festival featurette; the trailer.