Product: La Pianiste (Original French Version)
Rating: 4.0
Intelligent drama with disturbing subject matter
Haneke captains another efficacious look into the human psyche with this compelling drama. His vessel of choice this time around is Isabelle Huppert and his voyage takes us far out into unchartered waters where most other captains fear to sail. Haneke leaves port and allows the passengers to gain understanding and appreciation for his vessel. She is small yet highly respected amongst her peers. Despite being built under assumingly harsh conditions her exterior is tough and she is built for the icy waters she frequents. Once our captain has sufficiently displayed the outer of his vessel and gained our respect, he then takes us below deck for a rare exhibit of the ship's viscera. What we see is distressing and unpleasant, however Hanke's ship has sailed and we are now headed for turbulent waters.Huppert gives a brilliant performance as the piano teacher. She beautifully executes both the character's controlled exterior as well as her hauntingly troublesome interior. Haneke's direction is focused and he delivers an unyielding character study that's potent and believable. This voyage is not for the weak of heart. Many will find the subject matter disturbing, and rightfully so, but it would be difficult to deny this masterfully created film the merit it deserves. I almost rated this film five stars instead of four, but I have difficultly giving the highest marks to a film I never plan to see a second time.