When I started watching this movie, my first thought was, "oh, documentary film maker moving into feature film and being kind of artsy and pretentious"...because the film is very gritty and realistic and you almost feel uncomfortably present in the intimate lives of people you don't know. That in itself shows how good the acting is in this film because you really, really think these people are locals and that is really and truly what they do, they are amateur theater performers. it's hard to see at the beginning just how you're going to spend 2 plus hours with folks who seem so opaque and indifferent to the spectator.
But then almost imperceptibly, the movie starts to draw you in. Each frame of the movie, each scene is a clue, a thread that connects to other scenes or begins its own story and you realize this guy is a master of movie narrative. He gets it.
And then it really takes off. This is one of the best movies I think I've ever seen, one I could probably watch several times because there's a lot going on in every single scene but none of it is overstated. And if you're not watching closely, some tragic moments go by and you miss them.
Hats off to the director and actors on this...
But then almost imperceptibly, the movie starts to draw you in. Each frame of the movie, each scene is a clue, a thread that connects to other scenes or begins its own story and you realize this guy is a master of movie narrative. He gets it.
And then it really takes off. This is one of the best movies I think I've ever seen, one I could probably watch several times because there's a lot going on in every single scene but none of it is overstated. And if you're not watching closely, some tragic moments go by and you miss them.
Hats off to the director and actors on this...