Soft Focus Porn

Rating: 5/10 (14 July 2003)

Beautifully shot by Jane Campion in a dreamy soft focus The Piano gives the impression of being a better film that it really is. Some mud, some misty woodlands and a few tattooed and grinning Aborigines do not disguise the Mills & Boon plot-line. No matter how hard the viewer tries to get some depth out of the story you come up with nothing. Is this a story of women's lack of voice in the world? No - Ada McGrath is a strong woman who communicates very well, despite not speaking. Is this a story about the desire to create or express ones self? No - the piano is used as currency for sexual favour which Ada McGrath wants as much as George Baines. The seduction scenes are titillating rather than romantic, and the film slowly becomes sordid. The Piano is 9 1/2 Weeks meets The Draftsman's Contract, without the merit of either of those films.