Puzzle

Just a decent piece of poetry for all ordinary people who dared to make extaordinary choices even once in a lifetime. And unlike the puzzles you manage to finish, you got no control of every of your days as life itself, the hardest of all puzzles it is and will be. Real, emotional, cinematography.

I managed to attend the European premier of this at the opening night gala of the Edinburgh Film Festival. In the past some of the movies chosen to open the Edinburgh festival have been poor quality and chosen due to their links with Scotland. However in this case they managed to pick a movie which may just be one of the best on show this year. The story is about a mother of two who seems more of less content with her family life but on her birthday is presented with a jigsaw puzzle. Her life is so predictable she knows what her husband will say before he does. Completing this puzzle seems to give her a sense of achievement which she doesn't seem to be able to find anywhere else in her life. This sets her off on a mission to find more puzzles to complete and opens up a new life for her...possibly. The tone of the movie is somewhat offbeat, quite a few times there were members of the audience laughing at what seemed inappropriate times. You also have to suspend your disbelief for the story to work. It takes a while before you notice the movie is set in the present day. The main character is somewhat strange as well, its unclear if her quirky behaviour is supposed to be due to a sheltered life or something like Aspergers/OCD. The reason I think its like an old fashioned fairy tale, up to a point is there is a handsome rich stranger who comes into her life via her interest in puzzles, who has the potential to whisk her away from a life of domestic drudgery. Its very much a story told from a female perspective at the expense of her husbands' there is more a little bit of selfishness in the main character which to me makes her less sympathetic. Its an interesting film and worth the watch although how you respond will largely be down to whether you find this a movie about someone who is blinkered and selfish or someone escaping from a humdrum life of family responsibility. You decide.

The opening scene of the new domestic drama "Puzzle" seems to take place in a bygone era. Come to find out it is present day. The woman we see behaves as if from a time past.

Mousy, repressed, self-conscience and ultra-OCD, Agnes (Kelly Macdonald in an arresting turn) is living a life dedicated to the age old adage "A woman's place is in the home." Everything she does is for someone else-her husband, sons, church, newfound lover. Nary a thought for herself. Hell, she even throws her own birthday party for crissakes. She speaks little, but her remarkably expressive, yet forlorn, face veritably screams out for something different. Something more.

At the aforementioned sad soiree she receives a gift which she later opens alone. It's a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Her life will never again be the same. From that point on Agnes embarks upon a journey of the soul. A reawakening of the spirit. The birth of renewed purpose. And, gosh darn it, the girl's finally having herself some flat out fun and games.

To define it as a beautiful film seems enough. Without any explanation. Because it is the perfect film about loneliness, family, passion and resurrection of be alive. Because it is defined by splendid acting, great story, superb cinematography. It is one of films who you can fall in love with . A motif - Kelly Macdonald giving one of her best roles. Or the chemistry between her and Irfan Khan. Or just few scenes , absolutely magical. A film about loneliness and freedom. A magnificent one.

Love these types of movies!

A triumphant portrait of middle-aged emotional truth, Puzzle might be last year's best performed movie to be seen by the least people, an absolute gem of a story that peddles sympathetic humanism whilst expertly detailing relationship complexity and personal aspiration.