10. CYRANO
After topping my Worst Films list last year with the dreadful “The Woman in the Window”, director Joe Wright has immediately bounced back with his glorious musical version of the Cyrano de Bergerac tale, simply titled “Cyrano”. This is actually my first cinematic exposure to the story although I am aware that in most versions Cyrano is self-conscious because of his large nose. In this version, Cyrano is portrayed by Peter Dinklage, so the story has been altered that Cyrano is now convinced that Roxanne, the love of his life, could never truly love him because of his diminutive size. It is funny that he finds his size to be an issue when it comes to love, because he never lets it affect him negatively any other aspect of his life, as he is very adept at cutting down naysayers with his sword or his expert use of the English language. Dinklage is absolutely sensational as Cyrano, to the point that I was sure he would win Best Actor at last year's Oscars for his performance (“Cyrano” qualified for the 2022 Oscars due to a brief one week run in December 2021, before expanding later in 2022). The fact that he wasn't even nominated was an absolute disgrace as his performance was my favourite by an actor all year. He is charming, loyal, loving, self-deprecating, brave, and his line-delivery was second to none. Playing his love interest, Roxanne, is Haley Bennett, who is actually Joe Wright's partner in real life, but this is actually the first time they have worked together. She suits the role perfectly, although her character isn't as well rounded or developed as the two boys. The third in the trio, and the character who Roxanne actually loves, Christian, is played by Kelvin Harrison Jr who, like the other two, is fabulous. Harrison Jr is such a great actor, and this role gives him a chance to show off an aspect he hasn't before which is his lighter more comedic side, as Christian is a bit of a goof. This is a story of true love because even though Cyrano loves Roxanne so much, and it hurts him that she doesn't feel the same way, he is willing to do anything to make her happy, which is why he supplies the poems and love letters to Christian to woo Roxanne. I mentioned that “Cyrano” is a musical, and I really liked the majority of the songs in the film with two being particular standouts. I also like that Joe Wright was fine with using the actors unpolished voices when singing, as I prefer when characters suddenly burst into song, that it doesn't sound perfect. There is also some dancing within “Cyrano” which is really beautiful, but the style is so unusual; it has a very flowing look to it, but it is really lovely. I was such a massive fan of “Cyrano” particularly because it feels like the old Joe Wright, the guy who directed “Atonement” and “Anna Karenina”. Unsurprisingly, he has teamed up with his two key collaborators from those films, production designer Sarah Greenwood and cinematographer Seamus McGarvey and together they have created a gorgeous, highly stylised film. Some might think that it has actually been over-styled to the point of excess, but hell, this is what I love about Joe Wright and why I adore “Cyrano”.
9. EVERYTHING WENT FINE
Over the course of 2022, I really fell in love all over again with the cinema of director Francois Ozon, re-watching a lot of his earlier films, catching up with the ones I had missed over the years (with “Ricky”, his 2009 feature, the only one left I have to watch) and also seeing his two latest films as well. Both of these films were great, but only one made my top ten list, which was his assisted suicide comedy “Everything Went Fine”. I mean lets face it, what is more funny than suicide, am I right? Going into the film, I was a little weary about it, for a couple of reasons. The first was because I had heard it was a comedy, and I was unsure how Ozon was going to make this controversial subject funny. Thankfully, he treats the assisted suicide very seriously, but the character of the father (who wants to die) is just a prick, which leads to some very funny situations and reactions from his two daughters. One very amusing moment is when he tells Emmanuele, his eldest daughter, that he got great satisfaction of telling her she was an ugly baby; the joke here is that Emmanuele is played by Sophie Marceau, one of the most beautiful women in the world. It is interesting, and the two girls mention this in the film, Andre (the father) is not a nice person, but you find yourself endeared to him. One of them says “He is a terrible father, but I think we would be great friends”. The other reason I was worried about the film was I had a feeling it was going to turn into a mushy sentimental affair by the end, which thankfully it never does. In fact, it never goes that way at all, with only a brief moment where the girls actually cry a bit. By the end it turns into something of a heist thriller, if you can believe it, because assisted suicide is illegal in France so the sisters have to find a way to get their father out of the hospital, and over the border to Switzerland where a clinic is waiting for him so the procedure can be carried out. Making the job that little bit harder is that the two girls can't be associated with it or they will face the full brunt of the law back in France. The movie is based on Emmanuele Bernhaim's book of the same name which chronicles the real life drama of helping her father in his wish to have an assisted suicide after becoming paralized down half his body after suffering a stroke. Bernhaim was a close friend of Francois Ozon, having helped in writing the screenplays of four of his films (“Under the Sand”, “5x2”, “Swimming Pool” and “Ricky”). Sadly though she passed away in 2017 from cancer, and missing his friend, Ozon decided to translate her book into a film as a tribute to her. He has done her proud, creating a stunning film with “Everything Went Fine”, one of the very best of his entire career.
8. FLUX GOURMET
Peter Strickland's “Flux Gourmet” was on my most anticipated list of 2022, with the caveat being that I thought “...out of all the films on this list, [this one] has the biggest chance of being a total dud”. Boy, was I wrong! There was never a chance this was going to be anything other than genius, as Strickland has created his best film yet with “Flux Gourmet”. I have watched the film, so far, three times and it never stops being hilariously entertaining! Combining two tonally different plot threads, writer / director Peter Strickland has done almost the impossible and created gold with “Flux Gourmet”. The main part of the film is a very, very funny look at an unnamed “sonic collective” and their time together during their residency at an exclusive art institute, where they constantly bicker amongst themselves and with their director, before starting to implode. Documenting their stay at the residency is a “dossiage”, Stones, who is struggling with a gastrointestinal disorder, making him feel uncomfortable within the group due to the excess wind his body needs to regularly release, and it is Stones' ordeal that is the second plot thread of the film. The tones between the two plot threads couldn't be more different and yet they live together harmoniously in the same film. The whole aspect involving the sonic collective is so over-the-top and done with tongue planted firmly in cheek; it is hilarious and we laugh both with and at the group. However Strickland then balances the absurdity of the sonic collective with the complete sincerity in regards to Stones' condition and the pain and awkwardness he feels because of it. Whilst the situations he finds himself in are humorous (not to mention his dead-pan narration of his problems, told in subtitled Greek), Strickland never once makes fun of him or his condition. Strickland then is able to make both plot threads come together for a very satisfying conclusion that is also, amazingly, quite poignant too. Again, I have no idea how he does it, and it really shouldn't work, but it just does! The entire cast is excellent; they all clearly understood just what type of film they were making, as well as the tone of the film, and they deliver in spades. I love a director who has a style that is recognisably their own, and Peter Strickland certainly has that. What makes it more impressive is that none of his films resemble one another, they are all so different, but when you watch them, you know that only one man could have made the film. Probably the thing I was most impressed by though was his handling of the ending and his ability to make something poignant out of all the insanity that has come before it. Click here to read my original review.
7. THE STRANGER
Thomas M. Wright's “The Stranger” was my favourite film I saw at MIFF this year, and while I still think it is an excellent and powerful Aussie crime thriller, it hasn't remained in my mind as much as other films since that time. The film is based on the kidnapping and murder of 13 year old Daniel Morcombe back in 2003, but the main aim of the film is not to dramatise those events but rather to highlight the years-long investigation and undercover operation that the police conducted in order to obtain an arrest of the killer. It has nothing to do with the actual kidnapping or murder, and is entirely about the immense work the police did and the huge task of collaborating between multiple states, all in an attempt to get their man. “The Stranger” is a dark and gritty affair but Wright understood that the story he was telling was strong and powerful enough to not need to fall back on cinematic excess or over-stylisation. All he needed to do was to present the story as honest and realistically as possible, coupled with casting the right actors who could disappear into their roles and finally, creating the right amount of dramatic tension and atmosphere onscreen, and Wright does all of these things magnificently. Wright does an amazing job of recreating the intensity of the undercover world, where criminals and cops interact on a daily basis, and makes us feel the violence of it, without showing a single violent act onscreen. The other thing that Wright had to get right was to make the audience feel the progression of the case, and how the stakes rise the closer they get to an arrest. This is a very dangerous man they are trying to trap, and who they know has done some horrific things in the past, and we need to feel the weight of what making a mistake would mean in this world. I mentioned that the casting also had to be perfect and let me just say that Joel Edgerton is outstanding in the role of Mark, the undercover cop assigned to get close with Henry (the killer). It is such a multifaceted role because his character is also acting the majority of the time and his life and the case relies on him being very believable when in the field. It is a fantastic showcase for an actor, and I never once doubted the reality of Edgerton's performance for a second. He is just phenomenal! Sean Harris is just as good in his role of Henry too. He comes across as a dangerous, yet pathetic character, looking for a friend more than anything else. We never see what he is like when he is alone, only when he is with Mark, but he never seems in total control, like he could go off at any second, either by fleeing or striking out violently. Make no mistake though, through Harris's performance, you know that despite how pathetic and cowardly he comes across at times, Henry is a very dangerous man. The thing that “The Stranger” really opened my eyes to was just how much work actually goes into not only catching a killer, but to do so with enough physical evidence to ensure a conviction. It is such a success at exposing the reality of these undercover operations and exactly what these brave men and women really go through. “The Stranger” is a sensational movie, however it is not an easy watch because it hits you hard and stays with you after the credits have finished. Click here to read my original review.
6. PEARL
Shot back-to-back with his 1970's-set slasher film, “X”, Ti West surprised the film world when he revealed (via an end of credits teaser) that he had already completed a prequel to the film, this time focused on the early years of “X's” villain, Pearl. What is so impressive about “Pearl” is that even though it is a prequel to “X”, the two films couldn't be more different. Whilst still very much a horror film, “Pearl” plays out more like a deranged drama – and it is absolutely glorious! The best word to describe “Pearl” is disturbing; it really burrows in deep and gets under your skin, but rarely in an aggressive fashion. The fact that the majority of the film is done in a quiet manner makes it all the more disturbing, because when it does explode in brief flashes of violence or intense verbal altercations, these moments hit that much harder. Stylistically the film is also completely different to “X”. Gone are the grainy grindhouse aesthetics, replaced by a bright, bold Technicolor look reminiscent of those large Hollywood movies from the 30's and 40's. Whilst the film is filled with a number of interesting characters, the focus of “Pearl” is really on one character, with Mia Goth once again excelling above and beyond with the younger rendition of her titular character. Goth is so good in “Pearl” that if the Academy had any balls at all, they would nominate her for Best Female Actor. Different from “X”, “Pearl” requires a more internal performance from Goth, due to the fact that Pearl is so often alone, fantasising or living in her dreams, and she has no problem at all at delivering this. She has an uncanny ability in giving Pearl a naivety or innocence to her and then turning the mood towards the disturbing or sinister in a second. West gives Goth so many moments to shine in “Pearl” such as her brilliant dance with a scarecrow which starts out innocently enough before suddenly turning much more sexual and disturbing. It is a telling moment, which exposes just how messed up Pearl may be, and the thoughts that her repressed mind is constantly fighting against. The stand out scene of the film is Pearl's already famous six minute monologue, which Mia Goth performs in a single unbroken take, during the film's finale. In the scene, Pearl is persuaded by her sister-in-law to take down those walls, confide in her and finally talk about how she “really” feels, after Pearl makes the brave admission to her that she “thinks something is real wrong with me”. West never takes his camera off of Goth's face as Pearl goes through a number of different emotional states while talking. One aspect that I loved that Ti West included in this film was a connection to pornography which plays so much importance in “X”, as Pearl is shown an illegal stag film by her friend. I absolutely loved “Pearl” and thought it was a fantastically disturbing character study about a very sad character, exposing the dark side of the “American Dream”. Ti West has created his best film yet, and I was so impressed by the way he was able to create two films in the same “universe” and make them so different from one another, whilst still keeping them connected. It is a stunning achievement, now give Mia that Oscar dammit! Click here to read my original review.
5. EARWIG
Lucile Hadzihalilovic's “Earwig” is a very strange film and one that has niche audience appeal, but it ticks all the boxes of what I love in cinema. Here is how the imdb describes the plot of this utterly bizarre film: “Somewhere in Europe, mid-20th century. Albert is employed to look after Mia, a girl with teeth of ice. Mia never leaves their apartment, where the shutters are always closed. The telephone rings regularly and the Master enquires after Mia's well being. Until the day Albert is instructed that he must prepare the child to leave.” This was my most anticipated film at this year's MIFF and not only did it not disappoint, it actually exceeded my expectations, but in saying that, it is a film I would never recommend to anyone else due to how odd it is, and the fact that it poses more questions than it answers. The first thing you notice about “Earwig” is how quiet a film it is and just how impeccably designed it has been. It is a details-oriented world, both in terms of look and in plot. Hadzihalilovic goes to great lengths to show the daily routine of Albert and Mia, the young girl he is assigned to look after. We see every step, in glorious detail, of him changing her teeth of ice and replacing them with the new set. She presents the scene almost in real time, but like the rest of the film, I found it entirely mesmerising. These two characters clearly live day to day in a highly structured routine, which you can tell benefits Albert more than the girl. This is proven when he receives a mysterious phone call telling him to ready the girl for the outside world. Suddenly his carefully constructed world falls apart, as the routine is now broken, and Albert struggles to function properly without it. He resists the change, and things really start to go downhill once Mia steps outside for the first time. I mentioned that it is a quiet film and this is due to the fact that there is very limited dialogue in “Earwig” with the first spoken word not arriving until at least half an hour into the film. Hadzihalilovic lets her amazing visuals tell her modest and very strange story, coupled with an atmospheric sound design representing the hidden outside world via the sounds of distant trains, animals and the changing weather. The film has been beautifully shot by cinematographer Jonathan Ricquebourg in low light which gives “Earwig” a painterly look to it, which also helps define the period setting. Lucile Hadzihalilovic is in total control of her film “Earwig” and her direction is flawless. I feel it is necessary to mention this because “Earwig” is a film where most people will leave the cinema at least a little confused. Her control of both the film's tone and pacing are expert and I never once doubted that what was onscreen was exactly what Hadzihalilovic wanted to show. Every frame is composed in such a way that it couldn't not be deliberate, as is the way the actors (slowly) move throughout that frame in unison with the pace of the film itself. Hadzihalilovic has created a stunningly beautiful fairy tale world filled with a thick, tactile atmosphere, while also employing the use of dream logic which gives “Earwig” the feeling of a beautiful nightmare. Just whose nightmare it is though is the big question. One of many questions asked during the film. “Earwig” is a puzzle film, the type where clues and hints of ideas are hidden throughout the film but we,the audience, need to work a little to find and use them to get meaning out of this elliptical story. Personally, I love this stuff! I love when I know that the director has a definite idea about what has just happened, but has left it up to me to find the clues and work it all out. So what is it all about? What does it all mean? I will be honest and say that I am not quite sure, but there are definite clues there, which made me wonder; just who is Albert? Is Mia actually his daughter or is he really just her guardian? Why and how are Albert and Celeste connected symbiotically? Are they different sides of the same person? Is Albert suffering from trauma after the war? Did Albert have a wife, and if so, did she die in childbirth? I am not sure of the answer to these questions, but I adore the mystery of it all. Whilst I was initially attracted to “Earwig” due to the unusual image of a girl with ice teeth, I ended up being blown away by the stunning photography, exquisite production design and beautiful mystery of the finished film. It is a very odd film, but I fell in love with all of this oddness and for its originality; its a stunningly produced film. Click here to read my original review.
4. AFTERSUN
The film that I have seen on the top of people's top ten lists this year more than any other is Charlotte Wells's “Aftersun”, and it deserves all the accolades that it is receiving. The thing that I found so amazing about “Aftersun” was that I had no idea just how much I was being moved by it all whilst I was watching it. It wasn't until the credits started to roll that I was hit by this huge ball of emotion and was just devastated by it. I honestly could not move for ages, as I was just sitting there thinking about what I had just witnessed. I cannot remember feeling like this with any other movie in my life prior. The movie absolutely floored me, but I had no idea at the time that it was affecting me so. “Aftersun” is about a woman named Sophie recollecting old memories, via video footage she took of the time her dad and her went on a holiday to Turkey back when she was ten. Whilst the majority of the moments are happy ones, Sophie remembers them with a sense of melancholy as she begins to realise the truth of what her father was going through at that time, which was invisible to her back then because she was a child. Being a father with two daughters myself, films with father/daughter relationships at their core often hit me hard, but this was something else entirely. The way Charlotte Wells feeds us information, particularly about the father Calum is so clever. The story isn't told in a linear fashion, as we are fed bits and pieces of Sophie's memories as she is having them, while she also fills in the blanks with the video footage she is watching, and fantasising about a possible future. One thing we learn late in the film is Calum's difficulties as he struggles with depression. This makes us, and Sophie, re-evaluate certain reactions and moments Calum had during the holiday. We realise that Sophie understands all of this now, because she is going through similar things herself in the present, which is at the same age her dad was when they went on this holiday. What is scary though is that Sophie shows signs way back then during that holiday and her dad obviously recognises these symptoms immediately. Writing about this movie now, it chokes me up just thinking about it. The casting of Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, as Calum and Sophie (father and daughter) respectively, is perfect. They have the most beautiful, natural rapport together. They are so authentic that it feels like we are witnessing little private moments between them, rather than they are actors performing for a film. They are extraordinary together, but they are equally as good when they have scenes away from each other. The pain you can feel in Mescal towards the end of the film is just heart-breaking, but also so impressive. The film looks amazing too, thanks to the gorgeous Turkey locations. “Aftersun” is amazing and I am sure in the future it will be considered a classic. My biggest cinematic regret of this year is not seeing “Aftersun” at MIFF on the big screen. At the time, I was not yet aware of the film, but what makes its more upsetting is that I know that I actually had a clear space in my MIFF calendar to see it when it was actually playing. No matter what, I implore anyone who has a chance to see “Aftersun” to do so; you will not be disappointed.
3. THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Expectations are a funny thing. You would think being excited about something should always be a positive, but as I have found now and then, having big expectations on a film can sometimes cause the opposite effect. Disappointment often ensues as the film cannot possibly live up to the expectations that you have put onto it. This is exactly what happened with me during my first viewing of “The Banshees of Inisherin”. My wife and I are massive fans of the film “In Bruges” from 2008, and think it is one of the funniest films going around. So when a film re-uniting the director, Martin McDonagh, with his two stars from that earlier film, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, comes about, you cannot help but get a bit excited about it. You also have some expectation on just how funny it is going to be. While I did think “The Banshees of Inisherin” was a good film on my first viewing, I did think it was overrated and couldn't understand all the fuss around it. I also didn't find it anywhere near as laugh-out-loud funny as I thought it would be. That bummed me out a bit, but I moved on. However I kept reading glowing review after glowing review for it, that I decided that it wasn't the film's fault for letting me down but the expectations I had put on it. Therefore on New Year's Eve, I decided to have a re-watch (it was the final film I watched in 2022), and this time around I absolutely adored the film. I also found it ridiculously funny and haven't stopped quoting it since! For those who do not know what the film is about, here is how the imdb describes it: “Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.” Hands down, this is the best acted film of the year! The entire ensemble is superb with not one giving a bum note. Farrell and Gleeson continue to have incredible chemistry, with Kerry Condon (who plays Farrell's sister) just extraordinary. The person who surprised me the most though, particularly during my second viewing, was Barry Keoghan who essentially plays the village idiot. He is an actor that I traditionally cannot stand, but he blew me away in this; he is just so, so good. And hilarious, but the entire cast is! This is not a comedy in the style of “In Bruges”, this is the most jet black of black comedies, but if you get onto its wavelength, you are going to be rewarded with non-stop laughter. It can be a depressing film though too, and it gets darker the more it goes along, but writer/director Martin McDonagh also has an amazing knack of adding a deep emotional layer and poignancy to his film. These are all characters stuck living on an island off the coast of Ireland, which doesn't have a lot of prospects in the future for any of them. They go through life, doing the same things day-in, day-out, with the spectre of death hanging around them at all times (death is portrayed by an old busybody woman in the film). Themes of isolation, depression, loneliness, guilt and wanting to do something with ones life so they are not forgotten, are all explored in the film. I cannot speak highly enough about “The Banshees of Inisherin”, and I am sure it will continue to grow in my appreciation as time goes on. It is a hilarious film, with so many stand out scenes and moments, but one of the very funniest is a confessional scene gone wrong when Gleeson's character, Colm, asks his priest if he has impure thoughts about young men (immediately after the priest asked him the same thing). The priest rages and then refuses to forgive him for his sins to which Colm replies “well I better not be dying in the meantime, eh Father, otherwise I'll be pure fucked!!”, and the priest screams “Yes! You will be pure fucked! You will be pure fucked!”, and then waves the next person into the confessional. OMG! I was in tears with this scene. Fantastic movie, all around.
2. THE QUIET GIRL
The imdb synopsis of “The Quiet Girl” sums up the film really well so I am going to use that myself here: Set in rural Ireland “in 1981, the film tells the story of a quiet, neglected, young girl who is sent away for the summer from her dysfunctional family to live with "her mother's people". These are Seán and Eibhlín Cinnsealach; a middle-aged couple she has never met. Slowly, in the care of this couple, Cáit blossoms and discovers a new way of living, but in this house where affection grows and there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one.” “The Quiet Girl” turned out to be a surprise hit in the UK and Ireland earlier this year, and after my viewing at MIFF, it was very easy to see why this film has been so loved by so many. Here we have an understated and fantastically unassuming but powerfully emotional tale, that is just so human. It celebrates love, and caring for one another, and putting the time in to help, nurture and teach someone in our care. Like it has done to almost everyone that has seen it, “The Quiet Girl” weaved its spell on me, and exposed me for the big softy that I truly am. It is such a modest and simple film, but it has been so beautifully made. Director Colm Bairéad has sensitively directed the film, keeping it very grounded without the use of grandstanding emotional manipulations that you would likely see if this film had been made in Hollywood. The film is all the better for it, and is an incredibly emotional experience, but each moment is earned and not forced upon the audience. From the pain you feel for Cáit in the beginning, and then you just beam for her as she starts to come out of her shell and grow. The cinematography by Kate McCullough is exquisite. It is not flashy, nor does the camera move excessively but the images of the rural Irish landscape are so beautiful. She also does a great job of catching the light in Cáit's gorgeous big blue eyes. The reason that “The Quiet Girl” works as well as it does is the stunning lead performance from Catherine Clinch who plays Cáit. She is mesmerising; you cannot take your eyes off of her. As the title suggests, she does not say very much in terms of dialogue but those big blue eyes tell you so much, and you can see her change and grow and become more confident in herself under the attention, love and care from the older couple looking after her. Clinch's performance is both simple and subtle which mirrors the film she is starring in. It is so impressive seeing her conveying so much, while doing so little. Two things I have to briefly mention also, are the fact that “The Quiet Girl” is predominately told in subtitled Irish Gaelic, which I think was a first for me, but another thing I loved about this great film. The other thing is just how heartbreakingly beautiful the film's finale is. It is essentially the same ending as a film in my top twenty last year (which I wont reveal as it will give away this film's ending), although the roles are reversed. Like that previous film, I was totally sucked in by this ending, and it totally broke me (a tear may have even left my eye). Again, like I mentioned before, as much as the ending is very emotional, it is a moment that has been totally earned. This is such an exceptional film, and one that I think anyone would enjoy. It would also make the perfect double bill with Celine Sciamma's “Petite Maman”. Click here to read my original review.
1. HAPPENING
My favourite film of 2022 was Audrey Diwan's “Happening”, a film that was so mind-blowingly good and sadly, still incredibly relevant as two weeks after I watched “Happening” the United States Supreme Court voted to overturn the result of the 1973 “Roe vs Wade” case, which was historic for its recognition of an individual's right to terminate a pregnancy. I was totally blown away by “Happening”; it is such a powerful film, but it is also an incredibly difficult watch. Diwan pulls no punches when it comes to showing the risks involved in obtaining an illegal abortion, including a number of very graphic and confronting scenes that will have you squinting at the screen. While these moments are full on and incredibly tough to watch, that is the whole point. The viewer needs to understand just how bad and dangerous and painful it can get for the woman, so if these scenes were watered down to make it easier on the viewer, the impact would be lost. The film is an adaptation of Annie Ernaux's autobiographical book of the same name, that deals with her own experiences with abortion back in the 1950's. Diwan and her co-screenwriter Marcia Romano have done an excellent job at adapting the book and creating a film that is filled with immediacy, tension, heart and understanding, without it making it feel like a political or “message” film. The entire film is from Anne's perspective, she is in every scene, so Diwan needed an actress with an ability to go through a large range of emotions quickly and believably and she struck gold with the casting of Anamaria Vartolomei, who is just extraordinary. I was particularly impressed by Vartolomei's ability to express her character's sudden lack of focus, as well as her fear which continually builds until its outright panic, as she understands just how much trouble she is in after deciding to terminate her pregnancy and realising just how hard that will actually be. She also does an excellent job of making us feel her isolation from the rest of her, once comfortable, world. While I would always describe “Happening” as an intense drama, at times it plays like a thriller (particularly as Diwan highlights regularly where exactly Anne is in her pregnancy, getting closer to when an abortion is physically impossible), with the final fifteen minutes just excruciating to sit through. After two viewings of the film, I am convinced it is a masterpiece, but it is a hard film to recommend due to how confronting it is in places. If you are not afraid of bold and difficult cinema, and can handle scenes of a very graphic nature (think about what the film is about, to work out what these scenes probably involve), I wholeheartedly recommend “Happening”. While the film is about a hot-button topic, Audrey Diwan is more interested in the human element behind it all, rather than attempting to make a big political statement. Personally I think “Happening” is a brilliant and important film, that has left my jaw on the floor both times I have watched it, which is way I consider it my favourite film of 2022. Click here to read my original review.
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