Written & Directed By: Lars Von Trier
Story By: Lars Von Trier & Jenle Hallund
Cinematography: Manuel Alberto Claro
Editor: Jacob Secher Schulsinger & Molly Marlene Stensgaard
Cast: Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Riley Keough, Siobahn Fallon Hogan, Jeremy Davies, Sofie Grabol, Ed Speleers
The story follows Jack, a highly intelligent serial killer, over the course of twelve years, and depicts the murders that really develop his inner madman.
This film feels like a therapy session within the directors worst habits and thoughts. As many times in between the killings we hear a bunch of his theories that he tries to tie into the plot and it seems that some of them are more referencing the director himself. Which also happens late in the film where we get a lot age of clips of the director’s precious films for no real reason. Which might be his way of saying what he has hinted at that this might be his last film.
As one could easily read that Jack’s impulse for killing which he is incredibly good and lucky at versus his intentions and dream of being an actual architect in which he plans and yet continually fails at only leads him more into his compulsion where he takes his anger out and is frankly embarrassed by to a certain degree. As he tries to liven it up and try new precedes things to get the joy he once had. Might be the filmmaker commenting on his filmmaking. Something he falls into and challenges himself each time to do. Where as his heart, dreams and passion might lie in other things.
The film also makes you question many things such as a kind of political commentary where as jack idolizes German architects and seems to have a slight hero worship of nazis. Not to mention later in the film him going hunting and making sure for him and the family he takes to west red caps that are understandably fictional but also Brings up visions of Donald trump and his followers. Is he saying that those who believe these things are crazy themselves or that this kind of ideology can lead to a person either being mentally challenged or only mentally challenged people would believe this? Not to mention later on in the film despite a woman telling a cop that her date just confessed to killing many people the cop is willing to look the other way thinking. It’s a drunken domestic dispute. Then later once the crime has happened and he comes out in the open and leaves grisly evidence on the cop’s Windshield. The cop is too distracted by some innocent African American youth supposedly trespassing yet doing nothing really.
Matt Dillon is clearly having a ball with this role. Which is one of the more challenging and demanding ones he has had in a while. He truly inhabits the role. As he isn’t likeable but we are forced to stay with him throughout as our protagonist. This isn’t as dark or strong as HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. This film is more abstract with allusions of something that wants to be more artistic.
I recommend with reservations. As if you have seen past Lars. On Truer films. You know what you are in for. If not this will be appalling, shocking, darkly funny it will feel evil. Though I would expect nothing less as this is him putting his thoughts in and letting it serve his art. Though he illustrates how his thought process is as this is truly about how he feels he is received by people and his commentary on his own filmmaking. Though this might be his final film which he constantly says.
He makes this film to be aggressive and challenge his critics. He wants to provoke but also defend himself partly and play or be the devil he has been made out to be. So he is going to try to be repulsive as he can while also trying to give an explication. Plenty of people have walked out on the film while others have praised it and given a standing ovation. This is a film that is both beautiful and challenging all art isn’t pretty, but there does feel like there is meaning behind it all .
What is particularly intriguing about this film is that if it wasn’t made by Lars Von Trier would critics hate it as much would critics love it as much. As you generally prepare yourself when it comes to his films. Would they think it the work of a disturbed filmmaker who has just started would they judge it as something shocking to make a name for themselves? Though it is definitely a Lars Von trier film through and through provacative and one that isn’t simple to describe or write off. It’s a film that definitely opens itself to conversation afterwards. As this is a film you can watch many times and get many different things this is a film to study and figure out what it means to you and maybe what the director is trying to say as it is open to many perspectives. This is a film to study. It is a film that sticks with you and afterward you find yourself thinking about it over and over.
Split into five incidents that could easily represent five chapters in a book the first and fifth incident are clearly the beginning and the end. The incidents each are about killings. He estimates he has killed over 40 - 60 people but we focus on these in particular which jack says are more random there is nothing connecting them.
In each new incident we get to know more about him and get more story as he explains his philosophy between them to a Mostly unseen listener verge. As these incidents jump across time the first is quick the following take their time. And seem to focus on different details while also giving g is more story about him.
The scenes are alive with tension and dread as we know what will eventually happen we just don’t know when or how and how graphic it will be so that each scene feels like a countdown while we watch and wait. The director feeds off of it as he knows we are paying extra attention to the specifics now.
Even having some fun as the film is macabre funny yet when it comes to the violence it is graphic but feels more realistic and isn’t filmed in a thrill killing way as some horror and action movies make them. You might not know much about the victims but you Feel sorry and bad for them. In one scene he does have the character kill children and doesn’t exploit their killings as at first they are some of the least graphic but hair when you think the worst is over. Jack decides to try taxidermy on one of the kids and keeps it clean until he is finished that offers one of the most sadistically disturbing and frighting sights one has scene in a while.
In the end his passion is architecture and building a house where as killing is more a compulsion that he is talented And lucky with. That where as he fails at his passion it all comes together in the end when his compulsion helps him to make a breakthrough when it comes to his passion.
This is obviously a kind of idea or mentality the director has maybe when it comes to filmmaking his own in general
I can recommend this movie but not for the squemish as you should know what you see getting into. This is a movie that lends itself to many viewings to truly appreciate and get to the heart of the film. As this is a film one could talk about for ages like MANDY but in a different way. It's a film that feels lien other Lars von trier films a bit tricky to explain why you like it so much.
One doesn’t like the character or agree with him, but the film is still compelling to watch and study as one man’s egotistic breakdown of himself and his own art. While the film is meticulously made, It introduces the character as he feels this is all for a higher purpose in art and philosophy. Using Five incidents which help explain his history. Each a kind of deeper psychosis of how his mind works but also leads deeper into hell through his depravity. It also Fleshes out some of the characters. So they are not just random victims but actual characters that will be missed and don’t deserve their fates.
Structure always seems in place but the right materials seem to be elusive. So that he has to use what comes naturally or is around to make it work. Same as it can be for filmmaking or Lars Von Trier’s filmmaking.
The film seems to be a biography and apology for his ideas and thoughts and his intentional narcissism.
This comes across as a movie that deserves to be studied for not only itself and for what is trying to be said and is influenced by behind the scenes.
Grade: B+
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