I'm a fan of Lanthimos but this film was ironically the "poorest" of his among those i've watched. I thought of the idea and the style to be very interesting from the trailers and inevitably i was very excited to see this film in the theater after a long wait (thanks to the great marketing efforts). Yet, i was very disappointed to find myself disliking it throughout the viewing.
I don't have much to say about the production design and cinematography other than I found those parts of the film mesmerizing and unique, as expected. What I didn't expect was the writing and storytelling to be so cheap and at some points annoying. I understand that there is an intent to create wittiness and absurdness to give a light tone to the movie but it really felt forced and predictable to me most of the time. Honestly, i didn't laugh more than 2 or 3 scenes in the movie and they weren't even that memorable.
I also found Bella's character development rushed and out of nowhere at the ending bits of the film. I really don't want to get into the other characters because non of them i found to be interesting nor well written sadly. Also, the topics this film takes on and the themes it tries to delve into were stayed on the surface in my opinion. About what it is like to become an adult from a child's perspective, about choices of women and how they are treated in the society, about the poor and the rich, about being a human in the modern world, and many more.
Moreover, I would've loved delving deeper into the sensitive sides of Bella and her connection with her mother. Maybe we could've seen some parts of what ignited and caused her mother's suicide rather than seeing a maniac ex-husband holding a gun all the time and then we say "Aha! It makes sense now about her mother jumping from the bridge". Maybe it could've been a cliche but i think i would've rather seeing Bella to realize who she was at the end of the movie rather than in the beginning, just for the sake of witnessing her realization and reaction when she grew up as her surgery would be kept as a secret from her would be more emotional in my opinion.
Sorry for this long review but there were many thoughts i wanted to let it out. Maybe among the points i made, some were a glimpse of positive things, but sadly and mostly it was more about the poor things...
I don't have much to say about the production design and cinematography other than I found those parts of the film mesmerizing and unique, as expected. What I didn't expect was the writing and storytelling to be so cheap and at some points annoying. I understand that there is an intent to create wittiness and absurdness to give a light tone to the movie but it really felt forced and predictable to me most of the time. Honestly, i didn't laugh more than 2 or 3 scenes in the movie and they weren't even that memorable.
I also found Bella's character development rushed and out of nowhere at the ending bits of the film. I really don't want to get into the other characters because non of them i found to be interesting nor well written sadly. Also, the topics this film takes on and the themes it tries to delve into were stayed on the surface in my opinion. About what it is like to become an adult from a child's perspective, about choices of women and how they are treated in the society, about the poor and the rich, about being a human in the modern world, and many more.
Moreover, I would've loved delving deeper into the sensitive sides of Bella and her connection with her mother. Maybe we could've seen some parts of what ignited and caused her mother's suicide rather than seeing a maniac ex-husband holding a gun all the time and then we say "Aha! It makes sense now about her mother jumping from the bridge". Maybe it could've been a cliche but i think i would've rather seeing Bella to realize who she was at the end of the movie rather than in the beginning, just for the sake of witnessing her realization and reaction when she grew up as her surgery would be kept as a secret from her would be more emotional in my opinion.
Sorry for this long review but there were many thoughts i wanted to let it out. Maybe among the points i made, some were a glimpse of positive things, but sadly and mostly it was more about the poor things...
