steviekeys

I am so glad I overcame my trepidation, caused by all the talk of how depressing this is. It is, indeed, grim, grim, grim. But it ends with two scenes of such calm, serene resolution (real resolution - not the treacly Hollywood kind) that the end effect is down-right exhilarating.

Innaritu is a great film maker. And this film increases my respect for him. It is impressive that after making such a 'big' movie as Babel, he could let himself scale down - do something smaller, quieter, more personal.

If you read the credits closely, it becomes clear that Innaritu was trying to make his own 'Ikiru', possibly reflecting on the death of his own father (?) The result is tender, touching...and yes, hopeful.

And let it be said, this is one of the very few films I've seen that looks hard at globalization...and reminds us of how thoroughly it is shaping our world.

This is an engrossing, sometimes scary retelling of history, history so recent it's almost shocking how dimly it is remembered in our time. Rich in detail of a time of world-wide revolutionary fervor before its collapse with the victory of capitalism in 1990 and its replacement by the specter of Jihad. A film that raises many important questions about politics and society that remain with us today - and yet still manages to be an exciting action/espionage yarn.

Olivier Assasyas has, over the years, continued to produce so, so many interesting, impeccably intelligent, and constantly varied pieces of work - from moving generational dramas ('Late August, Early September') to pieces of compellingly sordid sleaze ('Demon Lover' and 'Boarding Gate') to quiet soulful meditations ('Summer Hours' and the sublime 'Clean'). I can't think of anyone else with such a range (except maybe Soderberg). And I think, for my money, he has become the new preeminent French film director of our poor, poor time.

just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of hallelujahs...i love this movie for all the above reasons.

I was drawn to this because of my long-standing love affair with the city of Hamburg. And the city is so proudly represented here - the wonderful seedy world of the bars and clubs and all-night Turkish food joints of Altona and St. Pauli, the poetry of crushed beer cans.

Watching this film is like listening to a great Tom Waits album...it has all the gleeful lewd humor and bitter tears and truth.

And yes, Birol Unel's performance is as moving as acting gets.

There is no way to overstate how good this film is.