3 reviews
Films that provide a mere backdrop for a meditation on a theme are not to everyone's taste. Sometimes, however important the theme, the on-screen activity is insufficient to hold our interest. Although the lives of the characters in Tuning are fairly mundane, the puzzling juxtaposition of images and only the tiniest of clues help keep us on our toes. This is a slow, dislocated, observational work, though not exactly engrossing unless you ask a lot of questions.
Peter seems happily enough married, yet we see him with a call-girl and also realise he may be hankering after an old schoolmate. His wife is receiving slightly flirtatious messages on her cellphone. A loving father, Peter is haunted by his approaching middle age. He is receding and his face is getting podgy. In one sex scene, the camera shows only Peter's face as he pumps away - he looks particularly unappealing. His wife Katarina, who works in publishing, is miserable when no-one is looking. Each of their daughters is trying to find their best aspirations in spite of the inadequacy and mundaneness of their parents' lives - one in her feelings for a boyfriend that she doesn't want to tell her parents much about, the other through piano lessons, at which she excels. The repetitive, tinkling piano in the soundtrack is like the purity of an ideal ignored. We see the distances between the family members, mostly without explanation of why they do not get on well beneath the superficial happiness they project to the world.
At work, Katarina comes across a book of poems called 'Closenesses,' and is struck by the beauty of the title. At one point, without it being clear where her suspicions come from, she goes relentlessly through her husbands pockets and belongings. In another scene, the daughter tickles her mum lovingly with a blade of grass - a simple gesture we cannot but help wish Peter would have made. They go to a friend's gallery exhibition that comprises enormous photos of a hymen. They go to their daughter's school concert together. The piano tuner calls and adjusts their daughter's instrument.
The array of clues are not so much clues on how the story will develop but what it is more essentially about, and the insights suggested concerning a state of marriage. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better - if only to provide comparison by means of wrong notes. The degree of intimacy (or lack of it) in each of the scenes of sexual congress give one of the most potent indications of emotional disharmony or its absence. The ultimate achievement of Tuning is maybe not the linear storyline but the providing of a basis within which we can see what is important yet inexpressible; achieving this by depicting the adjacent surrounding details that are expressible, if themselves unimportant.
Peter seems happily enough married, yet we see him with a call-girl and also realise he may be hankering after an old schoolmate. His wife is receiving slightly flirtatious messages on her cellphone. A loving father, Peter is haunted by his approaching middle age. He is receding and his face is getting podgy. In one sex scene, the camera shows only Peter's face as he pumps away - he looks particularly unappealing. His wife Katarina, who works in publishing, is miserable when no-one is looking. Each of their daughters is trying to find their best aspirations in spite of the inadequacy and mundaneness of their parents' lives - one in her feelings for a boyfriend that she doesn't want to tell her parents much about, the other through piano lessons, at which she excels. The repetitive, tinkling piano in the soundtrack is like the purity of an ideal ignored. We see the distances between the family members, mostly without explanation of why they do not get on well beneath the superficial happiness they project to the world.
At work, Katarina comes across a book of poems called 'Closenesses,' and is struck by the beauty of the title. At one point, without it being clear where her suspicions come from, she goes relentlessly through her husbands pockets and belongings. In another scene, the daughter tickles her mum lovingly with a blade of grass - a simple gesture we cannot but help wish Peter would have made. They go to a friend's gallery exhibition that comprises enormous photos of a hymen. They go to their daughter's school concert together. The piano tuner calls and adjusts their daughter's instrument.
The array of clues are not so much clues on how the story will develop but what it is more essentially about, and the insights suggested concerning a state of marriage. Sometimes things have to get worse before they get better - if only to provide comparison by means of wrong notes. The degree of intimacy (or lack of it) in each of the scenes of sexual congress give one of the most potent indications of emotional disharmony or its absence. The ultimate achievement of Tuning is maybe not the linear storyline but the providing of a basis within which we can see what is important yet inexpressible; achieving this by depicting the adjacent surrounding details that are expressible, if themselves unimportant.
- Chris_Docker
- Aug 26, 2006
- Permalink
I saw this movie at the Flanders Int. Film-festival in Gent '05, where it was nominated in the official competition for a Golden Spur.
It tells the story of a middle-aged couple who's relationship is in deep crisis. Their relation needs tuning, just like a piano is tuned.
Music is used beautifully in this picture and that's why it was nominated. When the relation deteriorates the piano playing also sounds out of tune.
All in all I didn't appreciate this movie that much. I did found it a bit boring although it's highly realistic.
This is the kind of movie for middle-aged people since many couples of that age probably encountered similar problems in their relation. Maybe I could appreciate this kind of story more in 15-20 years.
It tells the story of a middle-aged couple who's relationship is in deep crisis. Their relation needs tuning, just like a piano is tuned.
Music is used beautifully in this picture and that's why it was nominated. When the relation deteriorates the piano playing also sounds out of tune.
All in all I didn't appreciate this movie that much. I did found it a bit boring although it's highly realistic.
This is the kind of movie for middle-aged people since many couples of that age probably encountered similar problems in their relation. Maybe I could appreciate this kind of story more in 15-20 years.
- William_Hunt
- Nov 23, 2005
- Permalink
The movie tells a story about a couple with two children. He goes to business trips and finds comfort in payed pleasure, she finds her own new friend. The story is very well told and mostly even not through dialog but around it.
The photography of the film is marvelous, especially well is used the color and lighting of the sun. The ideas of where to put the camera in a specific shoot are also incredible. Montage is very well balanced and the cuts tell the tempo of the movie. Peter Musevski is a very good actor, we could see him in the movie Kruh in Mleko. And Natasa Burger adds to the acting duo.
Igor Sterk has made Express Express before this and that was a quite average film. I think that with this movie, he went way beyond and succeeded in making something worth seeing.
The photography of the film is marvelous, especially well is used the color and lighting of the sun. The ideas of where to put the camera in a specific shoot are also incredible. Montage is very well balanced and the cuts tell the tempo of the movie. Peter Musevski is a very good actor, we could see him in the movie Kruh in Mleko. And Natasa Burger adds to the acting duo.
Igor Sterk has made Express Express before this and that was a quite average film. I think that with this movie, he went way beyond and succeeded in making something worth seeing.