We recently watched Life on Mars and the poster on the wall in Gene's office got me wanting to see this again. I know I'd seen it and I remember the jist of of, but I really wasn't all too familiar with the specifics of it. I checked my last review and all I'd really mentioned was a clash in scheduling with this and another film in the cinema, so that wasn't much help.
As soon as it started though…
Oh the hardships we endure for the people we care about. I genuinely can't think of a single worthwhile thing to say about this film.
Seen at Berlin Film Festival.
Very much a film of two halves. The first half being one that shows both the trials and tribulations, and the lengths a mother goes to to help her child.
This is where the film is at it's best, it has drive, it has a purpose, and it gets to explore a character.
Fast forward to the second half and any sense of focus goes out of the window. At first I felt like the…
For the most part it's a par for the course coming of age film. Girl rebels against her parents as she tries to find herself. It's fine for what it is.
It really becomes problematic in the final third. And when I say problematic, I mean it effectively legitimises and justifies coercion and and (implied) sexual assault as a necessary means to an end. It's like all it takes for someone to make amends with their family is a good raping. I don't know about anyone else, but in my book that's not cool. At all.
