Club Zero

I just saw Club Zero - still attempting to "digest" it. Brilliant but not ready-made for simplistic interpretations. It attacks some major issues way beyond eating disorders. For me Hausner explores our human need for connection - the need to find community in a confusing world through a shared belief system (no matter how irrational or potentially destructive). The family unit is dissolving. This is how ideology substitutes for what was once the realm of religion. Modern day group think and aligning oneself with a tribe (perhaps only a tribe that exists online) is one way to not feel alone and to see oneself as serving a higher purpose - to have acceptance and meaning in ones life. Of course, this lends itself to being manipulated - this was obviously true with Nazism and Communism, both of which were dressed up as servicing a high ideal. In the case of Ms Novak, she's been drinking her own Kool-Aid. I loved Wasikowska's portrayal of this extremely sincere but demented role model. Her accent was interesting - I think it might have been a subdued Dutch accent. She always becomes her character thoroughly - she's never just playing a version of herself. Club Zero has something to offend everyone, of any political persuasion, since its easy to project ones own bias onto the films surreal/psychological take on society.

I know this movie has gotten no so good responses from critics and the public but I personally liked it. Filmmaker Jessica Hausner clearly has an thought-provoking concept about nutrition, diets, and a satirical approach on control and misguidance. While the narrative does feel lacking and certain concepts does leave me starving for more, I still found the atmosphere, deadpan approach and style to be interesting.

The production, costumes, and the settings is colorful and beautiful. The dialogue is weird as admittedly, it does feel too fake but whether it was intentional on the direction, I did like some of the weird dialogue choices. The performances were mostly solid while there were a few dull performances.

Obviously the movie fault lies on the lacking of certain concepts and some of the style feels way too similar to Michael Haneke and Yorgos Lanthimos. Overall, I know this movie isn't liked but I don't think it's as bad as everyone has said.

Club Zero is categorized as a comedy/drama/thriller but in my opinion it's just a drama. Not really thrilling and certainly not funny or whatsoever. Not a bad drama though. It's all about control, brainwashing, dieting and self control. Almost like the beginning of a cult. Everything looks very minimalistic, from the decor to the dialogues to the cinematography. The acting was good and that from the entire cast. Mia Wasikowska plays the weird brainwashing teacher and did a convincing job. It's all watchable, just don't expect too much action as it's mostly deep conversations about basically eating disorders. I don't know if they tried to make a point, but it's a fact there is a lot of bad food on the market, just look around you if you live in the USA and you will see the results of bad nutrition everywhere. It's not a coincidence the vast majority is obese or has diabetes, it's all about what you eat.

The film addresses a very interesting and distressing topic, but it was not executed masterfully. The performances are good and the story gradually keeps us intrigued, but the work in general doesn't have much of a "pulse". The film spends a long time without going anywhere, and when we think that a climax will arrive and that we will be shocked, predictable or simple things happen.

At least I'll say one thing: The background scene during the end credits is very interesting and a little scary. I think it was the scariest part of the film, but obviously I won't say what it's about here because I don't want to spoil it.

Unabashedly uninhibited, hilarious, and provocative, Club Zero explores belief dynamics and how they can shape identity in a story that follows the bond of a teacher with her students and the unexpected turn it takes.

Bathed in beautiful aesthetics transmitting universality through a synthetic palette, precise cinematography relying on zoom to focus on deeper meanings, and a percussion-driven score channeling a pulsating inner force that conveys a spiritual and ritualistic experience, Club Zero, inspired by the fairy tale "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," raises the question if adults are paying enough attention to their children.

Jessica Hausner is interested in portraying manipulation and faith as something dangerous that blooms when simplicity is accepted at face value without the resistance that naturally comes with examination. In conscious eating, students find a harbor for identity and a medium to realize belongingness via regurgitation of the agentic identity through facsimile emancipation. Ideologies are enjoyed since they give the control and understanding, that come with certainty, that reality, in its complexity, doesn't have to offer.