Sweat

I think I have a problem with art movies, when I watch French movies, cannes choices or other festival films, I don't know what I say after finishing. For example in this movie, what was the main thing? I cannot decide, life of influencer? Beautiful girl with mother problems? Too much social media? I think after movie, yo have to watch online conversation with director and casting. It is really more enlightening than movie.

Sweat shines on so many levels and is a breath of fresh air in so many ways. The combination of intense close up facial camera work and hyper realistic acting give this movie a modern, uncomfortable, interrogational edge in keeping with the forensic scrutiny of anyone living in the modern media influencer bubble. The excellent, nuanced lead performance of Magdalena Kolesnik as Sylwia has plenty of other great performances to bounce off of, particularly her mother, played by Aleksandra Kolieczna. The intimate, unflinching, naturalistic directional style of Magnus Von Horn is showed off to maximum effect in the conversational scenes between Sylwia and an old school acquaintance in a shopping mall and later with a large family group around a dinner table. In both cases all performers seem totally natural and oblivious to the camera giving the film a wonderfully voyeuristic overtone... loved it.

Good movie, but at the end I had a perception of a good idea a little badly developed. Some points of this world of web celebrities could be better explored. However, the director was sutil and soft in certains points of views, as in the triviality of relationships, in the loneliness and in the corrosive relation with the protagonist's mother.

Magdalena Kolesnik does a masterful job in this tough and uncomfortable movie regarding fame, social media and private vs. Public life. While some people could be turn off because of being somewhat a slow-burner, I was in the story of this woman the whole time. Great movie!

Raising but not wholly dealing with a range of issues, this could be a good film to discuss with a group of friends that have all seen it.

Over and above the brutal "fitness" regime, being an always-on Instagram influencer looks like *very* hard work, and this film (and the lead actor) illustrates that excellently, in my view. Where I'm less sure about it is in the handling of the various side-issues... for example her relationship with her mother and the mall conversation with the schoolfriend - the latter was quite affecting but then they seemed to just "move on". Also, I'm sure that someone that glamorous and high-profile would attract more than one stalker... and I'm unsure about the handling of her culpability in what happens to him.

Nevertheless, it was more interesting than I expected and had a nice circular arc between the opening and closing scenes. Worth a look.