Holly - La speranza è tra noi

'Holly' has a storyline which should be ideal for a gripping drama in the best Hollywood style. The film is about a shy, lonely girl whose life is turned upside down because of a coincidence. After she stays home on the day her school burns down, people around her start to think she has a special gift, and that she can make positive things happen.

But anyone who is familiar with Fien Troch's earlier films, knows that a simple straightforward drama is not her style. Troch uses an understated cinematographic language, in which implying is more important than spelling things out. She is not primarily concerned with the story itself, but rather with the way different characters react to things that happen to them. Apart from Holly herself, who is confused and insecure about how she is perceived by others, there are two other interesting characters: her teacher, who somehow hopes Holly can solve a major problem for her, and a classmate, who is also an outsider, just like Holly.

With 'Holly', Flemish film maker Fien Troch adds another film to her very distinctive filmography. The central theme in her films is the difficulty of understanding each other, and the way young people interact with adults. Her films have an unpolished, almost documentary feel, but they are made very carefully. Every scene has its place, and helps us to get to know the characters better.

Some viewers might be dissapointed that the film doesn't lead to some apotheosis. But this is consistent with Troch's way of making films. She doesn"t seem much concerned about what happens exactly and why, but rather by what her characters do and feel. After having seen the film, you are more concerned about Holly's well-being than about anything else.

This was less straightforward than I had imagined. I noticed there were comparisons to King's classic Carrie (not sure I can agree there, except for the initial ten minutes or so). This is mostly something else, a subtle drama with no horror or fancy special effects.

It is challenging, because what is about? Humanity? Our shortcomings? The way things go although we except them to go somewhere else? At times it seems a bit buñuelian, with its centering on a young somewhat Christ like person rumoured to have special gifts and then there is the adult person aiming to do so well but is met with injustice.

An interesting movie (unfocused is one of its cons) that also brought Atom Egoyan's small town drama The Sweet Hereafter to mind. It might need two viewings (I had one so far).

Holly is a delicate, moving portrait of what it means to be hypersensitive in a world that misunderstands you. Her so-called "gift" isn't supernatural; people are drawn to her because they see their own sadness reflected in her eyes. Holly herself doesn't fully understand what's happening - she's shy, scared to take space, and you can feel the pain of being different, even bullied.

At first, she refuses the money people offer her, but slowly she starts testing the limits of what she can do, and of who she can become. It's quiet, intelligent, and deeply human - definitely not for Hollywood, but all the more special for it.

It goes nowhere.

It's not fish, it's not meat, it doesn't have excellent acting. It's not science fiction. It's not mystic fiction. It's not adolescent drama. It's not really anything in the end. Misfired. 35-40 minutes too long than needed. If it would have decided for a path or the other it would have been a 7/10. And the ending it's just a mesh up of Jean D'Arc, ET and a scientology advertising wrap into a multiproperties advertising for retired people in Florida or something. Really,no. I miss 104 character to post this review so i will keep on writing something that took up characters. Ok.