Pity

First three fourths of the film is very good, the last one fourth is awful. That last quarter spoils the value of the entire film.

I was stunned by the screen-presence of actress Evi Saoulidou, who plays the wife recovering from coma. Though her screen time was teeny weeny, she is a Melina Mercouri award winner for stage acting in Greece. I do hope some top international directors pick her up for bigger significant roles in their forthcoming projects.

If you've heard of Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster, Dogtooth), then you've likely heard of the Greek Weird Wave. That 'weird' tag has been applied to this film, "Pity", which also happens to share a screenwriter with the films of Lanthimos, further establishing the connection.

"What's it about?", you ask? If you are concerned over what the plot of Pity is, then this movie is probably not for you. If, however, you are a fan of this cycle of recent Greek cinema, then you definitely need to see this one. It's odd, distant, ultimately unknowable, but also deeply, darkly funny. It was a humor made deeper because I didn't see it coming. I laughed out loud. A lot.

If you are a fan of black humor, and if you sometimes find yourself the only person in a perplexed audience who is laughing, then this movie is probably your type of thing. I am that person, the Lone Laugher. And I'm also a fan of this Greek "wave". I highly recommend Pity.

I see polarizing reviews and that's understandable because this movie is not for everyone. I liked it a lot, hence this high rating. But i can see the reasons why one might dislike it.

This plays like a drama but it is a dark comedy. Humor is extremely subtle. I didn't even understand this is basically a dark comedy during the first 30 minutes. When i get what this movie is about, i laughed a lot of times, there were even hilarious scenes. But i repeat, one must have a dark and weird sense of humor in order to find this appealing. It's very odd, characters talk like they are robots, they talk weird, they say weird things, this is more like an existential, maybe even surrealistic at times, dark comedy, nothing feels natural here and that's exactly the director's purpose.

I would prefer a different ending. The last 15 minutes were more intense, even exciting but simultaneously, this outcome was a bit predictable. One could guess this would go that dark. I would prefer for the ending to be funnier, staying in the (absurd) course. I believe this lost its identity and authenticity in order to be shocking. Still, this whole turn didn't ruin this movie. It's just that i believe it could be much better.

Overall, this is clever and unique.

When I read the script of this movie I wanted to see it immediately because it made me impression, very witty and unusual and that's what makes the film pretty good. It is a balance between fiction and reality, it is both unrealistic and realistic at the same time.

I didn't even realise 'Greek Weird Wave' was even a film genre until I happened upon this excellent blackest of black absurdist (tragi)comedies. I thought Yorgos Lanthimos was one of a kind with his deadpan despairing mood pieces. I was wrong. Like another reviewer mentioned, I laughed out loud numerous times. Luckily I was watching at home (courtesy of Mubi), and not in the cinema as I had been for The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, when I had to suppress my laughter for more than half were in no way amused.

With his wife in a coma - probably not going to make it - husband gets used to pity and sympathy, so much so he goes to extreme lengths to ensure its continuity. The result is utter deadpan bonkers genius.

Greek Weird Wave is definitely marmite - you either love it or hate it, and I'm firmly on the former bracket.