I almost didn't watch this movie because of the reviews however I am glad I did. At the beginning of the movie we hear Natalie Portman's character Laura say "People talk about 'before the war.' The thing is, you never know you're living before a war." This line sets up the subtext for the rest of the movie. You might forget she even said it until the end of the movie if you make it that long but it raises the question "do we ever really know the significance of the times we are living in?" I think the way Rebecca Zlotowski weaves the story through this unprecedented time in history is worth reflecting on. There is no simple way to capture everything going on in the 1930s. It was a time of great achievement and innovation. It was also a time that saw the rise of the greatest horrors of the twentieth century. It's in this context that we see these characters making their way through the universe. The film industry is revolutionizing how we see the world and entertainment. It also becomes a medium for scientific knowledge and journalism. Spirituality, which saw seismic changes following the end of the Great War, continues to be challenged by skeptics just like Harry Houdini did in the 20s. But also finds new converts in people looking for hope in the uncertain future. Then we see the rise of anti-semitism, perhaps clear to us now, but was nonetheless overlooked by many people who were otherwise very forward thinking and missed the dangers right before their eyes. And as the movie makes clear it was not just in Germany. There's one quote that I think resonated tone of the movie for me by Fernand Prouvé played by Louis Garrel- "People say that they write poetry, but it is wrong. It is the poetry writing us." Art says as much about the observer as it does about the artist. And while the movie is certainly not for everyone, if you give it a chance, you might see it captures the beauty, complexity, ambiguity, and ugliness of these times. Personally I have enjoyed reflecting on how all these elements fit together into this story and why she chose this plot line to explore them. Much has been written about the excellent cast and cinematography but I thought these themes were worth consideration for anyone who might be on the fence about watching it.
