Reconstruction

It took me nearly 15 minutes to get into this movie. But (gladly!) once it grasped me, there was no turning back. This is an 'existential angst' inspired masterpiece; a movie with more questions than answers. And, it was also a movie that, quite frankly, I wished hadn't ended so soon. Yes... I definitely enjoyed it that much! 'Reconstruction' was as psychologically perplexing as it was beautifully haunting. And I now find it hard to fault it. So... I won't.

However, as is the case with most of the movies I adore, I doubt that all people would concur with my estimation. That being said, it would definitely appeal to someone who enjoyed Memento; or maybe even Irreversible.

The core theme explored in this movie is that of knowing oneself and those close to you: Appearance versus reality. The true existentialist never finds profound comfort in the purportedly comfortable. For there are often surprises to be found on deeper reflection... I shall say no more. But if you've just digested a couple of chapters of 'Being & Nothingness', I could think of few better ways to further lose yourself in the problems of the mind and existence, than to watch this film afterwards.

The acting, screenplay, direction, score, filming and production all very much made the grade. Overall, Reconstruction is a psychologically challenging movie that any thinker should profoundly enjoy (once, that is, one gets into the psychological mysteries which unfold). Albeit, to paraphrase another reviewer: the intellectually challenged, and/or those who need all questions resolved in any movie, should hastily move along to another film.

First things first: I find pointless to summarize the plot, therefore I'll stick to my own thoughts about it.

Grainy fade-outs, near-flawless performances, mind-gripping in its non-linear simplicity plot, endless possibilities (if you are prone to indulging in analysis) and a precise, clean-cut overall aspect- are all there, in Boe's beautiful, if slightly formal, first long feature.

This film dodges, quite effortlessly, the one major shortcoming (if you ask me)of Last Year In Marienbad, to which it has been compared; unlike the former, Reconstruction manages, through unmistakably warm-bloodied and wrapped in smoke actors'performances, to surpass the cartoonish, slightly de-humanized concept that pervades Resnais's (i dare utter the word) masterpiece. In other words, the characters are a significant little more than archetypes, they are individuals. Subsequently, the three A's (Alex, Aimee-stunning Marie Bonnevie- and August) stir vaguely-rooted emotions in the spectator, aided by the 3-dimensionality of their acting and enhanced by innumerable, purposeful close-ups and near-perfectly-fitted music.

The intelligent rather than inventive script receives "thumbs up" not for itself but for its glossy, yet not sultry, rendition by often unbearably beautiful shots. Also, the demure approach to sexuality speaks volumes about the power of the camera&actors unity to suggest powerful feelings.

The coherent-enough story (don't let yourselves taken in by deceptive ambiguity) escapes down-and-out moronic de-constructivism for its own sake, allowing thus the average movie-goer to suck the film in, irrespective of his cultural background.

Although data about the characters arrives in dribs and drabs, the film is carefully plotted and succeeds in keeping the spectator's interest up till the end. August, in spite of apparent filmic omnipotence, is bare-handed against the efficiency of tender, scintillating and dizzying love story; the real puppeteer is the director, through his double, the cigarette-levitating, literal charmer, who pulls the strings in this bittersweet faerie. So, once you've learned the ropes of his editing choices and non-linear story ( the 3 possibilities/photos the woman has and other details), which require at least one viewing, Reconstruction becomes more than a feast for the eye. It allows a sensitive insight into a terribly fragile dreamlike world: Orpheus is supposed never to doubt the flesh-and-bone unseen certainty of being followed by Euridice on their way out of the Inferno. The visually enticing, effective portraying of Alex and Aimee's every movement offers precious glimpses of their innermost thoughts.

Speaking flaws, a restraint from taking risks in points of frame composition (aka predictable angles, never going off the beaten track) is quite obvious BUT it actually seems reassuring. Also, the absence of a clear message might affect the appreciation of a part of the public, BUT this is small concern for the director, whose primary aim (stated in August's voice off, in the beginning) is not to convey a moral attitude or a manifesto, but to ease pure delight on the spectators. Nevertheless, the I-cannot-relate-to-it factor breeds suspicion as to the actual relevance of what we see = Why should I care? Meaning, this seemingly inconsequential display of beautiful shots and silences can't extend its influence beyond the immediacy of the 90min viewing. BUT this is highly-debatable, if you take into account different responses from different people.

What I've just said about Reconstruction is hopefully not a gratuitous eulogy, but a considerate comment on what seemed to me a remarkably 'polished' if visually engrossing experience. Throughout the film, one gets the impression of intruding, of being a nosy Parker in an almost perfect, smoothly-trimmed, classy-as-heaven human landscape. Not an emotionless cine-verite, not a sweeping melodrama, not a frowningly guru-ish food-for-thought crap, Reconstitution proves warm enough to be cherished, praiseworthy in terms of cinematography, an outstanding and promising debut.

"Reconstruction" is overt about its style from the first minute when a deep-voiced narrator cautiously introduces the audience to the story and the narrative form. From then on, and until the narrator returns at the very end, we are cast into a complex and difficult drama set in a big city environment filmed in stunning craft and style. Copenhagen has rarely been seen as interesting, and in an odd sense charming, as here.

This is not an expensive film - the Director's Cut entity behind the film was designed specifically to produce good films on even lower budgets than are the norm in Denmark - but its appearance is delightful and intriguing with its sometimes bright, sometimes dark and often grainy cinematography, additional effects of occasional written identifications of characters and locations, and classic-style title design.

The story sees a young man captured by the meeting with a woman different than, but resembling his usual girlfriend, and struck by existential doubt when he finds himself a stranger to those he thought he knew. The plot is impossible to grasp completely, at least at first sight, but sufficiently immediate for the beholder to like it and be taken in by it. To me, the lack of answers is a bit over the top and causes me to cut my IMDb rating for the film to 8, but with the strong support for David Lynch films and other similar works in recent years I am probably in the minority on that point.

Danish Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Swedish-Norwegian Maria Bonnevie are both extraordinary, Kaas in the antagonist role of Alex and Bonnevie in a rare double part as the different, but similar Aimee and Simone. A repeated scene in a bar in which Aimee and Alex meet is a particularly fine example of the precise and strong performances. The fine Danish actors Nicolas Bro and Malene Schwartz are the most noteworthy of the additional cast.

Ambition is Christoffer Boe's middle name, but he lives up to any and all expectations Danish experts may have had to him since he graduated from the National Danish Film School in 2001. He has already been compared to another renewer of Danish film, Lars von Trier, and while I am reluctant to compare this first-time feature director to an established international star, I do think "Reconstruction" bears a stronger sense of place through its use of locations and the plot's connection to them, a superior depiction of relationships between people, and sometimes simply a more profound joy of storytelling than in any of Trier's work.

It took me quite a long time to figure out what I thought about this movie, and it seems that I have come to the conclusion that this movie is more about the experience of watching it. The plot is very abstract and I find it very hard to believe that anyone completely "got" the film. However while watching the film this doesn't seem to matter, you're enthralled. In the end i was left with a lot of questions and it led to some interesting discussions, but what really struck me and stayed with me was the beautiful imagery, the sights sounds and mood of the movie. In this sense the film is almost haunting. Anyway I would have to recommend and perhaps a second viewing would clear things up for me. As a sidenote the acting all around was superb and the two lead actors were enchanting.

"Reconstruction" was an excellent movie. Some have renounced it for its little tricks. Shame on them. While the little tricks themselves weren't impressive, they contributed to the film's ideas. Maria Bonnevie was enchanting. Interestingly, when I left the theater, I felt as though I knew (and perhaps loved) Aimee even though she was a construction, a fiction about whom next to nothing was revealed. In this manner, Alex and I bonded although there is no Alex. This movie was something that viewers can feel. I loved the skepticism. I enjoyed belong dazzled by the beauty only to have it taken away. Was it ever there? There is an honesty in "Reconstruction" that is rare in cinema. This movie wasn't especially subtle in its nihilism, which was fine. Anything more subtle would have been wasted on many, maybe even me. Who knows?