salber-2

This is not a movie to see if you have even a hint of a cold. And it is certainly not a movie to take your date to because that special someone is likely to come out of the theater wanting to avoid all human contact and definitely not engage in any activity where there might be an exchange of bodily fluids. And God help you if Chinese food was part of your evening's plans.

Because of all the aforementioned it is hard for me judge this movie objectively.

The movie was shot in a pale yellow green light and generally conveys the feeling of sickness throughout. While it no doubt takes talent to make Gwyneth look unappealing, sex unthinkable and everyone in the audience feel they are trapped on a stuffy bus with a bunch of coughing sneezing riders, I am just not sure it is a talent I can appreciate.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a seat of the pants thriller and even a terrifying horror flick, but a film that makes me want to take two aspirin and call my doctor ...not so much.

You of course may be different.

Having just read about Raoul Ruiz's passing I was motivated to look up reviews of my favorite film of his. I am writing this because I was surprised to see that none of the reviewers seemed to get that the film was an allegory for the coming of the Euro currency. The "craziness" of the film is actually a commentary on the craziness of the Euro. For instance viewers will notice that the characters lose their personalities on the Rue Maastricht. The Maastricht Treaty laid the groundwork for the Euro in 1992 that wentinto effect January 1, 1999. Much of what is happening today with Europe and the Euro was symbolically foreshadowed in the film.

If you watched the film and didn't understand its underlying premise I suggest watching again. I am sure you'll experience an "ah ha" moment and will discover this crazy film of Mr. Ruiz's makes brilliant sense.