"The Souvenir" was the first movie I got to watch at the 60th Thessaloniki Film Festival, which tok place from 31st of October till 10th of November at my hometown, Thessaloniki in Greece. I had a great time and form now on I will start reviewing each film I had the chance to watch.
"The Souvenir" is a really personal film that is able to create authnetic emotions through its performances, its magestic cinemotgraphy and atmosphere, its gentle asthetique and its realistic and memoir-like story. Its basically about the life of a woman as she goes to film school while having a relationship with a troubled and ethically-questionable man.
The whole film has a great asthetque and style. It is filled with astounding shots of England and the lighting is really stylish and gives a comfy feeling. Plus, cigarettes are immesurably cinematique and I feel that the whole film is really detailed and well done when it comes to its look. The collection of 80's tracks add to the film a lot and give a more energetic note, I obviously wanted more songs.
The interesting hting about the script is that it is more or less the sotry of the director's (Joanna Hogg) early years, when she strugled to balance her passion and work for the film school and the feeling of love and care she has for a mysterious but elegant man. We really get to feel how the character/director was feeling at those time and his lover for her is always questioned. He is a really sweet and sympathetic guy on the surface and I felt like I got why the main character liked him so much, but at times he is also really manipulative and he self-destructive and their relationships takes interesting turns.
She, from the other side, is really caring and does everything she can to satisfy his needs, but at certain points in the film she is so blind and feels like she is the wrong one, shile she has actually done nothing. I actually felt that this trait of her was really far-fetched, so that she was really reckless at times that she was saying sorry for no reason and it felt kind of funny. i amn I get that it is her story, but it is difficutl to believe that someone has to be so nice to forgive everything the other does. Okay, it is understood, but still it is weird.
Their bond is toxic and the man hold the balance of power, but it finally makes for a bittersweet ride with my favourite moment the one where they have a lovely quarrel about the space each one has in the bed.
I also really liked the dialogue in the film. The whole movie is a a combination of short conversations about a variety of themes. The characters feel real and I love the energy their exchanges have. I liek when the couple talk about why she wants to become a director and he says if she ever feels that she must become that and sher just wants to find a way to express herself or other conversaitons about film schools and I can go on and on... they really immersed me in the story.
The last act feels like a fading memory, it gets more gloomy but offers for a great cinematic experience about love, life, death, the realisation of being able to express, understand and control emotions. Its execuiton is one from the heart of Joanna Hogg, who was present in the screeening and got to share what was it like turning her life into film. I disagree to this film being self-important and narcissistic, but i can see why soem found it so. If you let yourself to be a part of the universe, then i you will probably enjoy it.
I myself found it a little bit too long, I would probably prefer it to be 20c minutes shorter, but that doesn't mean I was bored by it at any meeans. i wil definately check out the sequel and I am excited to watch what else Joanna wants to explore. She seemed like a really kind and honest person and i cannot wait to see more her life unfold.
Brilliant performances ( Tilda and her daughter who plays the protsagonist shine and Frankie Wilson was really good and consistent), great cinematoghy a vivid soundtrack and a moving, honest story from an honest person.
The whole film has a great asthetque and style. It is filled with astounding shots of England and the lighting is really stylish and gives a comfy feeling. Plus, cigarettes are immesurably cinematique and I feel that the whole film is really detailed and well done when it comes to its look. The collection of 80's tracks add to the film a lot and give a more energetic note, I obviously wanted more songs.
The interesting hting about the script is that it is more or less the sotry of the director's (Joanna Hogg) early years, when she strugled to balance her passion and work for the film school and the feeling of love and care she has for a mysterious but elegant man. We really get to feel how the character/director was feeling at those time and his lover for her is always questioned. He is a really sweet and sympathetic guy on the surface and I felt like I got why the main character liked him so much, but at times he is also really manipulative and he self-destructive and their relationships takes interesting turns.
She, from the other side, is really caring and does everything she can to satisfy his needs, but at certain points in the film she is so blind and feels like she is the wrong one, shile she has actually done nothing. I actually felt that this trait of her was really far-fetched, so that she was really reckless at times that she was saying sorry for no reason and it felt kind of funny. i amn I get that it is her story, but it is difficutl to believe that someone has to be so nice to forgive everything the other does. Okay, it is understood, but still it is weird.
Their bond is toxic and the man hold the balance of power, but it finally makes for a bittersweet ride with my favourite moment the one where they have a lovely quarrel about the space each one has in the bed.
I also really liked the dialogue in the film. The whole movie is a a combination of short conversations about a variety of themes. The characters feel real and I love the energy their exchanges have. I liek when the couple talk about why she wants to become a director and he says if she ever feels that she must become that and sher just wants to find a way to express herself or other conversaitons about film schools and I can go on and on... they really immersed me in the story.
The last act feels like a fading memory, it gets more gloomy but offers for a great cinematic experience about love, life, death, the realisation of being able to express, understand and control emotions. Its execuiton is one from the heart of Joanna Hogg, who was present in the screeening and got to share what was it like turning her life into film. I disagree to this film being self-important and narcissistic, but i can see why soem found it so. If you let yourself to be a part of the universe, then i you will probably enjoy it.
I myself found it a little bit too long, I would probably prefer it to be 20c minutes shorter, but that doesn't mean I was bored by it at any meeans. i wil definately check out the sequel and I am excited to watch what else Joanna wants to explore. She seemed like a really kind and honest person and i cannot wait to see more her life unfold.
Brilliant performances ( Tilda and her daughter who plays the protsagonist shine and Frankie Wilson was really good and consistent), great cinematoghy a vivid soundtrack and a moving, honest story from an honest person.