Trickle not treat

Rating: 6/10 (30 January 2007)

Should any husband be allowed to direct his wife in love scenes? (Apart from home video/DVDs with their questionable production values. ) If he's not explicit enough people shout "cheat!" If he's too explicit then one questions his own limit setting. That I guess was one of the dilemmas (but not the least) facing Daniel Aronowsky with his filming of his wife Rachel Weisz in his new film THE FOUNTAIN.
Daniel Aronowsky directs this multi leveled/ layered story of a tale of love and the quest for immortality through the ages; on a physical, scientific and spiritual level. It's set at the time of the conquistadors, the present day and in a timeless state. And if that sounds a little confusing, well that's because it is; until at least a good half hour into the film.
One gets the feeling that the editing process must have been a "sturm und drang" performance, with time changes, scene changes, reversals in time sequences all taking part. And the script is not as tight as it could be despite multiple revisions greater than a south African history textbook. This film has been a labour of love for him, it having first being proposed and worked on since the late '90's. Initially the Hugh Jackman role was to be played by Brad Pitt who pulled out at the last minute, causing the whole project to collapse. Cate Blanchett also pulled out, causing him to re-cast his wife in her role. I guess he just wanted someone he'd be sure wouldn't abandon him in the end. It's like his own FITZCARRALDO (8/10) So, after all that, did I like the film? Some of the set pieces were really quite beautiful, given the relatively small budget. And Hugh Jackman gives a pleasantly overwrought performance. Rachel Weisz, A Rhodes? graduate isn't really all that interesting in this- back to the old problem of directing family. And I would have loved to have seen more of Stephen McHattie who played the Chief Inquisitor. But I guess that will come with the deleted scenes, extra length special edition. Back to the over editing/ strange cuts that occurred throughout.
But overall, no. This isn't a film that is going to get me waiting fervently for the special edition DVD. . The film reminded me of SOLARIS(8/10) especially in the way it ambled through the space sequences in an almost zen-like trance. SOLARIS was also a film that initially didn't grab me by the short and curlies initially, but grew on me from a second viewing.
While I can't say I was too excited about it in toto, this is a film which will have its proponents and fierce opponents. Enjoy the debate.