a movie to make you think

Rating: 8/10 (27 April 2009)

I finally saw this movie on DVD. Throughout the movie I just couldn't t get it in my mind that the story has much to do with love. Instead it tells a lot about selfishness and the consequences of being ego driven (as eastern philosophy teaches since another man stayed under a tree): wrong choices and inability to live without distress. Thomas does not love his wife, if he loved her he would stay more with her and live the present , the only immortality we have. Instead he loves himself and is crushed by the thought of losing her and the thought of his own imminent death. Of course a film is more that a story, even one such full of metaphors, but I confess I don t have the knowledge to competently review the directing or the editing of the movie. All I know is that it must have been good because it proved an easy and enjoyable vehicle for me to get to the interpretations. And I agree with reviews that have pointed out that it could have been directed better. After all, Van Gogh could have painted more neatly . But I don t think this is the point. Yet I don t agree with reviews that dismissed the movie as being complicated or trying to hard. The genius of Aronofsky is that, I think, his stories are about the content and his directing about the processes of the character s minds. The Fountain has the qualities of sumptuous imagery, cultural and historic references and yes, complexity and sometimes confusion of beliefs of educated minds, like Thomas and Izzi are supposed to have. There may be mistakes about this movie but I respect Aronofsky as a writer and director because, like all good art, his movie pleases the senses and goes beyond to make you think. It sure left me thinking of my own death and from witch perspective would be better to face it.