slabihoud

A few days in the life of two 50+ drifters, Carlobianchi and Doriano, who send most of their time roaming the not so attractive areas of the Veneto region looking for their "last one for the road." In between they reminiscent past pleasures while looking forward to meet with longtime friend Genio, who spent the past couple of years in Argentina. On their way to the airport they get to know and pick up the young architecture student Giulio, who seems lost between following his desire for a particular girl and going home to be fit for an examination the next day. He let himself be dragged along by the two charming misfits, who are driving with ease from one rather rundown place to the next, making the most of new acquaintances. While Giulio's way of life gets slightly corrupted, his new friends also get some new aspects through his persistent wish to view places of architectual interest. When they finally meet Genio, some secret revelations of the two drifters come to light.

The economic changes in the area are an important part of this story. Meandering through the region we see people struggling for a decent life, while our two protagonists rely on divine providence and don't look far into the future, not further at least, till to their next one for the road.

(Seen at the Vienna International Film Festival)

I can't particulary say why I gave this film an 8, but I felt I couldn't do less. There is an nightmarish feeling throughout the film that keeps you guessing how to read all of this. The story unfolds like a puzzle with a lot of pieces missing. The first thing that catches your attention are a series of closeups of rotten or decaying harbor equipment, nets, parts of boats, rusty chains. Once the story begins you will see more of this love for details in all forms, from fishing to dialects. Director Mark Jenkin gave a lot of attention to the look of this film, by using 16mm film stock with a bright color grading. I don't want to say anything on the story because this is something everyone has to put together for him/herself. Definitely worth watch!

Jodie Foster is magnificent in the role of the highly self-assured psychiatrist Dr. Steiner, whose tranquil life is turned upside down when she learns of the suicide of a long-time patient. Ironically, the patient used sleeping pills that had been prescribed by Dr. Steiner. Convinced that there was no reason for her to take her own life, she begins an increasingly obsessive "investigation," in the course of which threatening things actually come to light. Increasingly convinced that the woman was the victim of murder, she considers various perpetrators one after the other. She seeks help from her ex-husband, who willingly supports her. When she finally tries to draw her son into the story with increasingly wild theories, people begin to doubt her sanity.

The story quickly picks up speed as soon as we realize how smugly this psychiatrist reacts to any accusations made against her. Even a relevant hint from her former teacher is dismissed with a wave of her hand. As viewers, we are repeatedly led down the wrong track, which she readily accepts and just as quickly discards as soon as it proves to be false. The rekindled relationship with her ex-husband (lovingly portrayed by Daniel Auteuil) is a good indication of how little this woman knows about the people around her. There is a point, however, where the whole thing becomes very grotesque and as a viewer you can hardly believe what you are seeing and hearing. That's a shame, because it turns the story into a farce and the sad truth behind it all loses its significance. Therefore, only a 7.