This was a big surprise. I had read when it was released that it was an anti-American screed but didn't find it so. It spoke more as a comment on the human condition.
Shot on a bare soundstage with a fabulous cast, it was a hybrid play/film. The dialogue, voiceover, staging and the skill of the actors created its own little world where the morality play believably unfolded. The scenario had a nice arc which only failed in my mind when it got to the resolution, which seemed too crude...bludgeoning the audience after gently leading them through the complex emotions of the story.
An obvious reference was Our Town, with which this film favorably compares.
His trademark, hand-held camera work occasionally became irritating to me but overall it succeeded in giving a sense of motion to a stage-bound story.
Long, at 3 hours, it easily held me. Special kudos to NK...this ranks with her finest film performances.
7
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