The Son (2002) (Not Rated)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
Starring: Olivier Gourmet, Morgan Marinne, Isabella Soupart
Daddy Says:
One of our readers suggested this movie for us to review. I'd never heard of it before, and since it's a foreign film I'd wager most of you haven't either. You most likely won't find it at your local video store, but it is available from Blockbuster.com and Netflix, and I highly recommend adding it to your queue.
The Son is an intensely focused film, putting us squarely behind the main character of Olivier (Olivier Gourmet). He is in every scene, and we get so close to him that we can see he has a small bump behind his right ear. We follow him wherever he goes, we see what he sees. But we are not inside his head, we cannot hear his thoughts, and because of this we are often wondering what is actually going on.
The movie doesn't try to shoehorn in expository dialogue. Events happen in his life, and we may not know what is going on, but he and the other people in the scene do and they act accordingly. Our presence in the film is as an observer, and we are allowed to make our own judgments on what is happening. And we find that our judgments are often wrong.
I'm being deliberately vague on the events of the film. This is a movie you must experience for yourself, and I would have hated having it spoiled for me for my first viewing. One scene I must describe. Olivier is driving to a destination with a young boy in the passenger seat. Olivier knows more about this boy's past than the boy thinks he does. He questions the boy, intensely, about his short life, the things he's done, the regrets he has about the things he's done. So harsh is his interrogation that he misses his turnoff for the destination. Olivier stops the car and begins to backup, turning to look right at the camera which has been in the back seat the entire time watching this interrogation, and he says "I've gone too far". He's talking about missing the turnoff, but I think he also is aware of the double meaning implied.
This is a brilliant movie, unlike any other film I've ever seen. I am very grateful to our reader who suggested it for us, without whom I would never have thought to watch it. Don't let the subtitles scare you away from experiencing this incredible film.
Rating for The Son: ****1/2.
Daughter Says:
I must start out by saying don't listen to Dad because I think he might be a little loopy in the head from this film. I do appreciate the reader recommending this movie for us though. Not because I liked this movie or because this will my second low review, but because I now know to stay away from this film.
There were just so many things wrong about this movie. I didn't like the breathing down the main character's back the whole time. I felt rude and annoying; also a little claustrophobic. Another problem is that I didn't understand any of the movie. I didn't see the point of most of the scenes in this movie. I also hated the ending and I don't say hate a lot. It was just down right awful. Who cuts off movies so abruptly like that?
There was nothing I could find enjoyable about this film. If I had to choose a good part of this movie it would have to be the kid who played the son. He was good at being the character and an amazing climber. But other than that I just didn't enjoy it.
Rating for The Son: 1/2 star.
Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
Starring: Olivier Gourmet, Morgan Marinne, Isabella Soupart
Daddy Says:
One of our readers suggested this movie for us to review. I'd never heard of it before, and since it's a foreign film I'd wager most of you haven't either. You most likely won't find it at your local video store, but it is available from Blockbuster.com and Netflix, and I highly recommend adding it to your queue.
The Son is an intensely focused film, putting us squarely behind the main character of Olivier (Olivier Gourmet). He is in every scene, and we get so close to him that we can see he has a small bump behind his right ear. We follow him wherever he goes, we see what he sees. But we are not inside his head, we cannot hear his thoughts, and because of this we are often wondering what is actually going on.
The movie doesn't try to shoehorn in expository dialogue. Events happen in his life, and we may not know what is going on, but he and the other people in the scene do and they act accordingly. Our presence in the film is as an observer, and we are allowed to make our own judgments on what is happening. And we find that our judgments are often wrong.
I'm being deliberately vague on the events of the film. This is a movie you must experience for yourself, and I would have hated having it spoiled for me for my first viewing. One scene I must describe. Olivier is driving to a destination with a young boy in the passenger seat. Olivier knows more about this boy's past than the boy thinks he does. He questions the boy, intensely, about his short life, the things he's done, the regrets he has about the things he's done. So harsh is his interrogation that he misses his turnoff for the destination. Olivier stops the car and begins to backup, turning to look right at the camera which has been in the back seat the entire time watching this interrogation, and he says "I've gone too far". He's talking about missing the turnoff, but I think he also is aware of the double meaning implied.
This is a brilliant movie, unlike any other film I've ever seen. I am very grateful to our reader who suggested it for us, without whom I would never have thought to watch it. Don't let the subtitles scare you away from experiencing this incredible film.
Rating for The Son: ****1/2.
Daughter Says:
I must start out by saying don't listen to Dad because I think he might be a little loopy in the head from this film. I do appreciate the reader recommending this movie for us though. Not because I liked this movie or because this will my second low review, but because I now know to stay away from this film.
There were just so many things wrong about this movie. I didn't like the breathing down the main character's back the whole time. I felt rude and annoying; also a little claustrophobic. Another problem is that I didn't understand any of the movie. I didn't see the point of most of the scenes in this movie. I also hated the ending and I don't say hate a lot. It was just down right awful. Who cuts off movies so abruptly like that?
There was nothing I could find enjoyable about this film. If I had to choose a good part of this movie it would have to be the kid who played the son. He was good at being the character and an amazing climber. But other than that I just didn't enjoy it.
Rating for The Son: 1/2 star.
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