bleak to say the least

Rating: 6/10 (3 November 2000)

i can't say i ENJOYED this film - it isn't the kind of film you can really have a good time at.. it is depressing and bleak and leaves you feeling drained.
i thought the performances were good, some of the camera work was beautiful and the colours were amazing, and the editting was very good.

but i got bored of the repetition. i get that it was possibly reflecting the repetition in the characters lives, but i just found it a little too much after a while. and i also found the freakish hallucinations by the mother with regard to the tv show late in the film a little too much for me. it didn't mesh with the rest of the film as far as i was concerned.

but i thought the parallel between the mother and the son's habits was very interesting and the gradual deterioration of all of their lives (although they didn't seem to have much to deteriorate from) was well done.
overall it isn't exactly an easy film, but well worth checking out if you don't mind a bit of work.