I really disliked this film to the point where I'm wondering if I managed to catch some unedited director's copy instead of the finished product.
There's a lot that's wrong with the film and it really squanders what might have been very compelling subject matter. First. I have no idea why the men are living in the pipes. It's obvious they're not really supposed to be there seeing how they all run to them covertly, but it's never apparent who exactly they're hiding from. At one point in the film, there's mention that they can't be drinking or the supervisor will do kick them out, so somebody presumably already knows they live there. Next. Why do they live in the pipes? Is it protection from the wind - one or two seem to have tarps, but the rest seem open on each end. It's not for privacy, as there seem to be multiple men in each pipe. I guess it gives them a place to keep their belongings? But fine, maybe some of these questions don't need to be answered, but the next problem is the actual content of the film - there simply isn't much.
Every shot lingers painfully. There is some lovely rusty machinery imagery serving as a backdrop, but the camera just sits there for minutes at a time. You can show me the shot of the man drinking his tea after emerging from within the machinery, but I don't need to watch him silently almost motionlessly finish the whole cup over several minutes.
It gets worse too because it shows the misadventures of the guy that fixes the squat hole style toilets when they get clogged. And it goes into unnecessary and graphic detail of him getting covered in feces fixing the clog. Fortunately, it just looks like dirty brown water, but there's no reason for the film to show nearly the entire process as if there are people watching and taking notes on how to do it themselves. I get that the point of the scene is to show just how miserable the job is and as symbolism for the man's life, but it goes from being a shocking and potentially poignant moment to one of aggravation, disgust, and annoyance. Especially considering some of the best and most serene shots come next with the same man floating and letting himself be washed off in the sea while still looking utterly defeated.
And that's probably my biggest gripe with the film. There's substance there. There's a legit film in the unedited mess. All three men have their mini-story and they're depressingly compelling. There's a genuine contemplative wistfulness that you feel for them as they watch barges far off in the distance wondering just how much better life might have been and just how inaccessible such realities are. I wish I had access to the film and a proper editing suite.
There's a lot that's wrong with the film and it really squanders what might have been very compelling subject matter. First. I have no idea why the men are living in the pipes. It's obvious they're not really supposed to be there seeing how they all run to them covertly, but it's never apparent who exactly they're hiding from. At one point in the film, there's mention that they can't be drinking or the supervisor will do kick them out, so somebody presumably already knows they live there. Next. Why do they live in the pipes? Is it protection from the wind - one or two seem to have tarps, but the rest seem open on each end. It's not for privacy, as there seem to be multiple men in each pipe. I guess it gives them a place to keep their belongings? But fine, maybe some of these questions don't need to be answered, but the next problem is the actual content of the film - there simply isn't much.
Every shot lingers painfully. There is some lovely rusty machinery imagery serving as a backdrop, but the camera just sits there for minutes at a time. You can show me the shot of the man drinking his tea after emerging from within the machinery, but I don't need to watch him silently almost motionlessly finish the whole cup over several minutes.
It gets worse too because it shows the misadventures of the guy that fixes the squat hole style toilets when they get clogged. And it goes into unnecessary and graphic detail of him getting covered in feces fixing the clog. Fortunately, it just looks like dirty brown water, but there's no reason for the film to show nearly the entire process as if there are people watching and taking notes on how to do it themselves. I get that the point of the scene is to show just how miserable the job is and as symbolism for the man's life, but it goes from being a shocking and potentially poignant moment to one of aggravation, disgust, and annoyance. Especially considering some of the best and most serene shots come next with the same man floating and letting himself be washed off in the sea while still looking utterly defeated.
And that's probably my biggest gripe with the film. There's substance there. There's a legit film in the unedited mess. All three men have their mini-story and they're depressingly compelling. There's a genuine contemplative wistfulness that you feel for them as they watch barges far off in the distance wondering just how much better life might have been and just how inaccessible such realities are. I wish I had access to the film and a proper editing suite.
