Tag: irréversible

directed by Gaspar Noé

As much as I know that Gaspar Noé is a very controversial filmmaker, I cannot stop adoring his work. Each of his films is an experience I’d love to immediately forget after finishing watching just so I can rewatch the film again and experience it one more time. And one more time. And one more. Today’s recommendation is for those who like experimental cinema and feel mentally and physically prepared for difficult pictures. Those who’ve seen “Memento” by Christopher Nolan might see some resemblance in the form, yet “Irréversbile” is, in my opinion, way easier to understand while watching it for the first time. I can’t believe I’ve just said that, but it is true that Nolan’s productions are very much complex and often illogical after the first screening. I feel like Noé’s style is not difficult to understand, yet you need to have a very open-mind and have your limits of all kinds rather flexible. Getting back to today’s recommendation – it’s unusual because of the way we have the story presented. It’s divided into several pieces and we watch them in reverse order, so we know what happens at the end and now, as viewers, we wish to learn about all the preceding steps. It seems quite strange for me to tell you what it’s about considering the fact that it’s the point of the film to keep such a secret, but here’s a small introduction: two men, Marcus and Pierre (Vincent Cassel & Albert Dupontel) get into trouble as they were trying to find the person that had hurt a woman they knew (played by Monica Bellucci). And that’s it, the rest is for you to see. However, since I do want to share my opinion about one scene, here’s a *SPOILER ALERT*. So, those who’ve seen the film may already know which scene I’m talking about – indeed, the rape scene. It’s one of the most horrifying scenes I’ve seen in my life. I’m speechless about how well Noé presented the horror of this act of crime. The scene lasts nine minutes and there’s no editing (only at the end). Just two actors, camera and… action. In fact, this particular scene was essentially directed by Bellucci herself, yet it was coherent with Noé vision. This one scene speaks louder than anything I’ve ever seen on the topic of rape. I hate saying that, especially since I obviously despise people who commit such crime and I sympathise with all the victims, but this scene is magnificent when it comes to acting, directing, visual effects and general impact it has on viewers. Chapeau bas. *END OF SPOILER* I also have to add that visually this production is stunning, but I guess it’s obvious when it comes to Noé’s style. He loves when his work is aesthetically shocking – and to me it’s pleasing. So much. I don’t want to scare you, but this film may cause the feeling of anxiety not only because of what you’ll see, but also what you will not hear. Let me explain – they used extremely low-frequency sound in the audio, which normally is not possible for us to hear, yet physically our body may response to it. Such sound may even cause nausea or dizziness, so if you’re watching the film with a quality sound system, better watch out. That is why he’s one of my beloved film directors; he doesn’t just make films – he creates pieces of art. I’m aware of the fact that he does “support” himself with substances that are, let’s say, not generally accepted  – and I’m definitely not a person who would recommend you going this way – but I’m not here to judge him as a person. I want to see good cinema and he provides it. And that’s all I need to know. So if you’d like to take part in an artistic experience that may impact you a lot, you know what to watch now.

My rating: 8/10
S.