So I was gonna give this movie a 9/10 because as flawed and not perfect as this movie is, I still thought it was a near masterpiece and enjoyed it very much. But after a little thinking, I don't think I enjoyed the third act as much as I did with the first two, but the movie is still pretty good.
This is probably one of the funniest recent movies I've seen and I did not expect to laugh as much as I did. The dialogue and the situational comedy here are gold. Nothing new or revolutionary, but it's executed perfectly and the actors' delivery makes it so much funnier. The comedy makes it much better for rewatches and you know damn well I'll rewatch this great movie again for the comedy alone.
The visuals are delightful and I don't think I need to mention it, as many others already have. But when you see the movie, you're gonna realize you're watching a movie from a very rare species of filmmakers who isn't horrified of colors and his movie actually has color in it. I know, it's sounds crazy, but this movie has actual colors and good lighting, and doesn't have the lifeless colorless mud-filtered crap look every modern digital movie has. I honestly get shocked whenever I see a movie that doesn't look like Napoleon or Peter Pan & Wendy with toned-down colors and terrible lighting where everything is dark and you can't see anything.
Aside from all the technical and visual stuff, there is obviously the matter of the themes of the movie about female empowerment and all that, and the apparently opposing ideas people have regarding their reading of this movie.
I personally think female empowerment was definitely the focus of the writer and director here, but I don't think it's as deep or as subtle as people make it out to be, nor do I think the filmmaker is trying to be too deep here either, and it's ok for me.
The movie isn't really subtle with its ideas and themes and is pretty straightforward with its dialogue about different aspects of society and the human race in general. I don't think it's as subtle and deep as, say "The Menu" or "Triangle of Sadness". (Not that those movies were really subtle either).
I just don't think the movie is all about female empowerment and sexual exploration (which is definitely the most prominent aspect and theme of the movie), and more about everything in society. It basically criticizes everything and everyone and I don't think it has a definite stance of which side it is on, and I don't think it necessarily should be.
Take the only two movies I've seen from Thomas Vinterberg for example; The Hunt and Another Round. Both movies criticize both sides of different problems in their culture and society. But neither movie does take a side and tell you what is wrong or right and they don't take sides. They're just exploration and observation of those societal ideas and I'm fine with the movie being like this.
And I believe this movie to be the same. I don't think the movie even portrays Bella's journey to understanding humans and herself and the way the world works as something nice or fun. Even the sex scenes aren't portrayed as something hot and sexy, they're portrayed as weird, disgusting, and ugly as you can portray a sex scene in a movie.
And while I said that I was fine with the movie not being as subtle or as deep, or thematically directionless as it is, I still didn't really care for the third act and the conclusion that much. The first two acts go past so fast because they're really well-edited and well-direct, and they're really funny. But you will feel the runtime when you hit the third act and I just don't think it was as good as the beginning and the middle of the movie.
The final subplot and conflict with the husband, while adding a lot to her character and her backstory, is concluded and solved in a very predictable and cliché way. It's also shocking how she got through all that without being in any real danger or harm whatsoever, especially if you consider the era this movie is set in. Most exploitation and harm she gets are monetary and psychological, and the poor people scene in Alexandria doesn't really come back or show how it affected her at the end, it seems like she's back at being wealthy and coasting through life and becoming a doctor for wealthy people.
So overall, I enjoyed this flawed but well-made movie. It is really funny and will recommend to definitely check it out if you're not afraid of your movies being a little weird and full of furious jumpings.
This is probably one of the funniest recent movies I've seen and I did not expect to laugh as much as I did. The dialogue and the situational comedy here are gold. Nothing new or revolutionary, but it's executed perfectly and the actors' delivery makes it so much funnier. The comedy makes it much better for rewatches and you know damn well I'll rewatch this great movie again for the comedy alone.
The visuals are delightful and I don't think I need to mention it, as many others already have. But when you see the movie, you're gonna realize you're watching a movie from a very rare species of filmmakers who isn't horrified of colors and his movie actually has color in it. I know, it's sounds crazy, but this movie has actual colors and good lighting, and doesn't have the lifeless colorless mud-filtered crap look every modern digital movie has. I honestly get shocked whenever I see a movie that doesn't look like Napoleon or Peter Pan & Wendy with toned-down colors and terrible lighting where everything is dark and you can't see anything.
Aside from all the technical and visual stuff, there is obviously the matter of the themes of the movie about female empowerment and all that, and the apparently opposing ideas people have regarding their reading of this movie.
I personally think female empowerment was definitely the focus of the writer and director here, but I don't think it's as deep or as subtle as people make it out to be, nor do I think the filmmaker is trying to be too deep here either, and it's ok for me.
The movie isn't really subtle with its ideas and themes and is pretty straightforward with its dialogue about different aspects of society and the human race in general. I don't think it's as subtle and deep as, say "The Menu" or "Triangle of Sadness". (Not that those movies were really subtle either).
I just don't think the movie is all about female empowerment and sexual exploration (which is definitely the most prominent aspect and theme of the movie), and more about everything in society. It basically criticizes everything and everyone and I don't think it has a definite stance of which side it is on, and I don't think it necessarily should be.
Take the only two movies I've seen from Thomas Vinterberg for example; The Hunt and Another Round. Both movies criticize both sides of different problems in their culture and society. But neither movie does take a side and tell you what is wrong or right and they don't take sides. They're just exploration and observation of those societal ideas and I'm fine with the movie being like this.
And I believe this movie to be the same. I don't think the movie even portrays Bella's journey to understanding humans and herself and the way the world works as something nice or fun. Even the sex scenes aren't portrayed as something hot and sexy, they're portrayed as weird, disgusting, and ugly as you can portray a sex scene in a movie.
And while I said that I was fine with the movie not being as subtle or as deep, or thematically directionless as it is, I still didn't really care for the third act and the conclusion that much. The first two acts go past so fast because they're really well-edited and well-direct, and they're really funny. But you will feel the runtime when you hit the third act and I just don't think it was as good as the beginning and the middle of the movie.
The final subplot and conflict with the husband, while adding a lot to her character and her backstory, is concluded and solved in a very predictable and cliché way. It's also shocking how she got through all that without being in any real danger or harm whatsoever, especially if you consider the era this movie is set in. Most exploitation and harm she gets are monetary and psychological, and the poor people scene in Alexandria doesn't really come back or show how it affected her at the end, it seems like she's back at being wealthy and coasting through life and becoming a doctor for wealthy people.
So overall, I enjoyed this flawed but well-made movie. It is really funny and will recommend to definitely check it out if you're not afraid of your movies being a little weird and full of furious jumpings.
