Kubrick rattles off another genre in close look upon sexual desire

Rating: 8/10 (25 May 2009)

After his wife's confession of lust towards another man, Doctor Will Harford (Cruise) sets out on a voyage of sexual desires and adventures.
Stanley Kubrick had certainly made a name for himself over the past few decades, ticking off genres with some splendid direction and filming that rattled cages and drew hefty debates amongst many critiques. He mastered the horror with The Shining, the sci-fi with 2001 and many others right up until this, where he aimed to tick the romance genre off his list. Sadly the American died shortly after presenting this to the distributer and so 10 years on, it is comforting to know he achieved something remarkable in the genre.
Eyes Wide Shut is debated as one of Kubrick's worst pictures. From the upside down sequence in 2001 to the blood flowing elevator montage in The Shining, Kubrick was artistically driven, a perfectionist and this is, apparently, where he falls short in the 1999 release. There are no wondrous experimentations, minimal elaborate scene stealing montages or anything otherwise to suggest it is the same person who directed numerous Oscar nominated pictures. So this would presumably be the reason for the critical analysis, but the absence of the camera doesn't dissolve any promise or prospect from the film. Actually, the lack of sweeping scenes brings the film right down to earth.
The story is after all a love story, a mature look upon a married couples lives with the use of drugs, sex and parenting to bring a strong level of realistic lifestyle to the picture. The scripting therefore requires little elaboration. There are many consistent montages with the couple, the close up of Kidman's confession is well executed by the director and one fine scene appears when Cruise enters the burlesque house. The sweeping smart approach to the masked personas is very well handled and the sharp music helps generate a feeling of chills and intensity.
The whole sex concept is a highly interesting look upon human sexuality and desire, a depiction of lust, trust and intrigue. This is consistently debated throughout, and worth hanging on to right to the question raising climax.
The music score is not on the level of say 2001 but it fits the mood of the script nicely. The strong piano strikes may infuriate edgy viewers but do settle the story into a state of intensity and drama.
Cruise gives yet another strong performance as the likable Doctor but Kidman is so infuriatingly boring you may look away. The drug taking sequence is a brave attempt to spice her stereotype up, but is driven way out of proportion.
Like all Kubrick pictures, there is a great mystery to solve come the end of the film, and just like Kubrick, he has rattled off another genre with a fine justification of romance.