The Souvenir: Part II

I think I enjoyed "The Souvenir Part II" even more than the first installment. I didn't actually enjoy the first one much while in the act of watching it, and it wasn't until days later, when I realized I couldn't stop thinking about it, that its specialness hit home. But it's still a frustrating experience to watch an entire movie about a woman letting a man treat her badly for two hours, even if that experience is a common one in the real world.

It's not really a spoiler to reveal that the man has died before the second episode begins, and that this film focuses on our heroine's attempts to work through her grief and insecurities by directing a student film. "The Souvenir Part II" is much more meta than the first one, and it's much more about the process of making a movie, which I find fascinating. This is one of the best movies about making movies I've ever seen. Think of it as a "Day for Night" for a student filmmaker.

Will there be a "Souvenir Part III?" If there is, count me in.

Grade: A.

If you didn't like Part I, you won't like Part II, as not much has changed. The film has a slightly more vibrant and upbeat tone, but the style and essence of the film is very similar.

If you loved Part I, you'll most likely love Part II, as it carries on the story right where we left off and completes the emotional arc of Julie.

Ultimately these films aren't quite my cup of tea, but they are watchable and do have some interesting moments.

"Souvenir, Part II" is even more elegant than "Souvenir". A tremendously proficient film, so proficient that there is no need for the first movie. Again for some the movie might be slow paced but once more there was no minute passing by where I felt uninterested. Loved the characters, the actors and especially the writing and the direction.

Hogg felt the need and had the means to make the lead-up film in its entirety before engaging with the events of Part II. Tilda shines as always and the story, directing, music and editing style are superb. And again Honor Swinton is the heart and soul of this film, her acting was as masterful as her mother's! And Richard Ayoade's turn as Patrick is exactly the kind of eccentric and charming character that the movie needed. You have to love him!

If you never heard of the first chapter, don´t worry. You will see how Julie dealt with the loss of her former lover. Souvenir Part II is an easy endorsement. Tilda, Honor and Richard will take you on a trip you will not forget.

Joanna Hogg's script constructs life at an eighties London film school, and captures the era to the T.

I was an actor working with Melbourne, Swinburne RMIT film students at that same time. The parallel's between Joanna's story here and the general, dystopian horror Swinburne film students operated under, are uncanny.

Despite myself, and as well made as this film is, I have to say it will probably only appeal to a niche audience. It is beautifully cast and executed, and worth watching for numerous reason, but overtly entertaining it isn't.

In me, it re-triggered a level of ire toward the hack and snake instructors who nested in eighties film schools. People whose creative instinct, if they ever had one, had long left their being, to be replaced by an unerring, subtle undermining of student confidence, and a bald faced, polite dishonesty they measured would ensure them the longest teaching tenure.

You'll see a bit of that in this film.

What I didn't see in ' The Souvenir' was any intimation of the effects of that long term poison on the development and wellbeing of would be film makers. It was nice to see Richard Ayoade on screen. He is sadly, accurately brilliant as the auteur from hell.

The good: this movie has got quite a weird mix of a few, short intermittent scenes that are quite mesmirizing to watch, BUT...

The bad: the largest part of this movie is quite tedious to watch. Played by unknowns, directed by an unknown, who didnt rock the boat in any sort of way.

Not any good? Tilda Swinton has a small supporting role, really small.