`REQUIEM' FOR LOST INNOCENCE.Byline: - Glenn Whipp The first sound you hear in Hans-Christian Schmid's powerful coming-of-age story ``Requiem'' is that of a bicycle bell, and the way he uses it is positively unnerving un·nerve tr.v. un·nerved, un·nerv·ing, un·nerves 1. To deprive of fortitude, strength, or firmness of purpose. 2. To make nervous or upset. . The movie's heroine, Michaela (Sandra Huller), is riding her bike to her family's small, rural German town. She's 21, but her sheltered existence has made her more childlike than you'd imagine. She has news and that bicycle bell is tolling -- Michaela's life is about to be turned upside down. Schmid's movie, set in the 1970s, is based on the real story that inspired 2004's ``The Exorcism exorcism (ĕk`sôrsĭz'əm), ritual act of driving out evil demons or spirits from places, persons, or things in which they are thought to dwell. It occurs both in primitive societies and in the religions of sophisticated cultures. of Emily Rose'' -- a young girl goes away to college and finds both freedom and Satan. Her well-meaning family calls a priest, and the rest of the story goes to hell in a handbasket Going to Hell in a handbasket is an American expression of unclear origin describing something or a situation taking a turn for the worse or towards disaster without effort or in great haste. . But Schmid and screenwriter Bernd Lange take their movie in a different direction, focusing on the connection between Michaela's ``spells'' and her ambivalence toward her religious upbringing. Is her breakdown the result of an epileptic seizure Noun 1. epileptic seizure - convulsions accompanied by impaired consciousness convulsion - violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles generalized seizure, grand mal, epilepsia major - a seizure during which the patient becomes unconscious and has , a psychotic episode or the work of Satan? Or is she pulling a Carrie to exact revenge upon her controlling mother? The movie lets the viewer decide, keeping what's happening inside this sweet girl's mind ambiguous. What cannot be debated is the strength of Huller's naturalistic lead performance, an intense turn that brings to mind Emily Watson's work in ``Breaking the Waves.'' As Michaela retreats deeper into her own idea about her life's purpose, Schmid suggests that the young woman's condition could actually be a twisted form of self-empowerment. Huller sells the complexity of such a notion with a potency that is almost otherworldly. REQUIEM requiem (rĕk`wēəm, rē`–, rā`–) [Lat.,=rest], proper Mass for the souls of the dead, performed on All Souls' Day and at funerals. - Three stars (Not rated: language, thematic material) Starring: Sandra Huller. Director: Hans-Christian Schmid. Running time: 1 hr. 29 min. Playing: Laemmle's One Colorado in Pasadena; Laemmle's Music Hall in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. . In a nutshell: German import takes real exorcism story and turns it into an ambiguous, unnerving psychological portrait of a young girl coming to grips with her purpose in life. In German with English subtitles sub·ti·tle n. 1. A secondary, usually explanatory title, as of a literary work. 2. A printed translation of the dialogue of a foreign-language film shown at the bottom of the screen. tr.v. . |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion