In many of my reviews of foreign films, I often mention the old Los Angeles cable channel called "Z" - as it showed films that American Cinema didn't dare touch the subjects like foreign filmmakers Did. And movies that were getting acclaim from Cannes and other film festivals appeared on that channel. This film reminds me of one of those films from the 70s/80s. Still, this one takes a very dark turn for me, and only because IMDb requires a rating, I did one, but it is below that for me once it hits the final quarter. For me, it makes no difference if a woman or a man wrote and directed it; there is NO excuse for this film to have ended to what I interpreted it to be.
It starts as a story of a woman in a village who sold eggs but serviced men - and they all knew her and where they could go. She doesn't seem ashamed about her station as the film unfolds, so neither should the film watcher. She knows what she is; she has two daughters to whom she ALSO seems to know (And she doesn't seem to factor that into her promiscuous behavior even though she has tried to have her trysts away from them) and is curious as to what she does with these men as well. Ok.
Then a veterinarian comes to town and enters her life and seems to calm her behavior for a while, even to make you think she could fall in love with him. And settle down? The hope is there - she seems to be headed to a 'one woman' man; he appears to be directed towards being a family man as he looks to provide a father figure for the two young girls. Ok.
But then comes next is what I found deeply disturbing and threw me for a loop. Again, it's important to note it's all for interpretation because (thank goodness!!!!) this review is my interpretation. The veterinarian finds Tamar back to her old doings, having an encounter with some man from the village. The Vet realizes this woman will not change. He goes back to where he was staying with her and her daughters. The daughters had fallen asleep, so he put them to separate beds, one in the bed he and their mother shared.
Then we see him strip naked (back view) in that bedroom, and then we see Tamar, the mother, peer through the window, horrified. She runs to her neighbors' homes - seemingly for help. Then we see the neighbors/men of the village beat this man senselessly. He crawls up in a fetal position, and she comes over to him and holds him.
I get this is to show two incredibly damaged individuals (although there was no hint of the Vet being so ''til the end of this film). But I did not need that conclusion. I could not draw anything from it than what I believed happened and for me, too much for this film watcher; over the top and when it comes to children, and film-this was not necessary - and I am not being prudish (I got through the film this far!) but as a woman - she could have done better with the theme.
I found it an "excuse" to contrast the character's overly promiscuous behavior to throw in a very, very bad scene to show how more disgusting men can be no matter how long she's been doing the town for years and in that she hasn't been too interested in her daughters and how they may see her (and in little spots, you see the daughters are not blind to her behavior). But it's now "the guy" who is that bad one, not the woman who has been doing the town. Wow. Not Cannes Award material, in my two cents. Please understand me; I see the symbolism throughout the film, but that does not negate my interpretation as shared above.
My review does not recommend this film, but if you're going to watch this for curiosity's sake, be warned it isn't for everyone and may leave you feeling like I do - to wish I had taken a pass on it.
It starts as a story of a woman in a village who sold eggs but serviced men - and they all knew her and where they could go. She doesn't seem ashamed about her station as the film unfolds, so neither should the film watcher. She knows what she is; she has two daughters to whom she ALSO seems to know (And she doesn't seem to factor that into her promiscuous behavior even though she has tried to have her trysts away from them) and is curious as to what she does with these men as well. Ok.
Then a veterinarian comes to town and enters her life and seems to calm her behavior for a while, even to make you think she could fall in love with him. And settle down? The hope is there - she seems to be headed to a 'one woman' man; he appears to be directed towards being a family man as he looks to provide a father figure for the two young girls. Ok.
But then comes next is what I found deeply disturbing and threw me for a loop. Again, it's important to note it's all for interpretation because (thank goodness!!!!) this review is my interpretation. The veterinarian finds Tamar back to her old doings, having an encounter with some man from the village. The Vet realizes this woman will not change. He goes back to where he was staying with her and her daughters. The daughters had fallen asleep, so he put them to separate beds, one in the bed he and their mother shared.
Then we see him strip naked (back view) in that bedroom, and then we see Tamar, the mother, peer through the window, horrified. She runs to her neighbors' homes - seemingly for help. Then we see the neighbors/men of the village beat this man senselessly. He crawls up in a fetal position, and she comes over to him and holds him.
I get this is to show two incredibly damaged individuals (although there was no hint of the Vet being so ''til the end of this film). But I did not need that conclusion. I could not draw anything from it than what I believed happened and for me, too much for this film watcher; over the top and when it comes to children, and film-this was not necessary - and I am not being prudish (I got through the film this far!) but as a woman - she could have done better with the theme.
I found it an "excuse" to contrast the character's overly promiscuous behavior to throw in a very, very bad scene to show how more disgusting men can be no matter how long she's been doing the town for years and in that she hasn't been too interested in her daughters and how they may see her (and in little spots, you see the daughters are not blind to her behavior). But it's now "the guy" who is that bad one, not the woman who has been doing the town. Wow. Not Cannes Award material, in my two cents. Please understand me; I see the symbolism throughout the film, but that does not negate my interpretation as shared above.
My review does not recommend this film, but if you're going to watch this for curiosity's sake, be warned it isn't for everyone and may leave you feeling like I do - to wish I had taken a pass on it.