After India Stoker's father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him.
04 Feb Stoker (2013)
Not Thirsty Enough
Having seen and been unhealthily engaged in ‘Thirst‘ I acquired this.
It reminded me of a similar disappointment. One of my most trusted filmmakers is Kar Wai Wong, someone who has expanded my electric cage. His first non-English film 'Blueberry Night‘ was every bit as ambitious as, say, ‘Chun King Express’; but had none of the adventure. None of the crazy veers past the guard rail. I suppose it was because at home, his crew understood intuitive shifting as you go. His borrowed US crew had no idea, so he just had to plow through the seafood to the nauseous end.
This is less of a failure. Many of the themes, urges and cinematic devices from 'Thirst‘ are here.
The actress seems to understand, but she‘s just too much of a person where she needs to be a simple container of undirected, temporarily knotted desires.
The Charlie in this one isn’t much different than Hitchcock‘s Uncle Charlie, more mad, but as much in control. Too much control for what I think Chan-wook Park had in mind. But he had a script, and not the room to intuitively embellish. Does simply using US assets kill non-character oriented improvisation?
Posted in 2016
Ted’s Evaluation — 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.
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