The work is fresh, unique, and entertaining. It may not have the scope and depth of a great work, but it is certainly good. This is what is good. The photography is guided by an almost nostalgic staging, with the hard shots of a modern view as counterpoint. The sex scenes are so well shot that they are not pornographic, but all the stuff of modern soft porn is there. We are aroused, but the acts are blended with this crazy, complex mix of macabre and psychological challenge that move us away from banal voyeurism to actively dealing with the absurd position of the characters. The staging for the camera is right out of the 40's at times, and posed perfectly for effect. Great camera direction.
The actors give enough to make it work, and that says a lot for them, as this is a very tough film. It moves in a space between black comedy and drama, which is a dangerous place to put actors and camera, easy to bog down, go flat, or list from one genre to another. Acting would have to be light, with dramatic effect made by the mise en scene supporting the effort of the players. This can be said of any film, but in this film, it is a critical necessity. The camera gives us absurd without humor or pathos, simply the view expressing the element of the shot. Which leads to...
The score. This film could never be what it is without the brilliant sound craft. Score, and sound effects have become an other art form in the digital era, and carry a bigger, more fundamental role in creating motion picture work. This film owes lots to a really brilliant scoring, working precisely with the camera for cinematic affect.
This work must be taken as, not a giant, but certainly a shot at form and structure off the path, and done well. Hey, kids, don't try this at home.
