Opening 10 Jun 2010
Directed by:
Lukas Moodysson
Writing credits:
Lukas Moodysson
Principal actors:
Gael Garcia Bernal, Michelle Williams, Marife Necesito, Sophie Nyweide, Thomas McCarthy
Here is a film you can really skip. So beware, as it is easy to see this drama instead of the science fiction film Mammouth/mammoth by director Tim Cox from 2006 or the French comedy called Mammuth by director Benoit Delephine with Gerald Depardieu, which was shown at the Berlinale this year. We have now entered an age where film critics must tread softly and not really say what we think, so beware of the online reviews which paint a nice picture of this film where a rich business man (Gael Garcia Bernal) takes a trip to Thailand and sleeps with a prostitute, even though he is not that type, while his wife, the physician (Michelle Williams), is overworked and trying to save lives, while their Filipino nanny (Marife Necisto) holds the household together so she can send money to her family. Her own family falls apart, and she make the right decision to be with them. Beware of lying critics: the film is full of stereotypes, and the music makes you want to scream since it overpowers everything else. Director Lucas Moodisson’s film showed in competition at the 2009 Berlinale, and it is the only time I have ever seen an entire audience of critics boo a film. It is hard to believe that it will be shown in cinemas while great films never make it here. This movie is about money, power and control, and in this case you can take it literally. The only positive element was that all the actors did their best, but the storyline was unbelievably terrible. (Shelly Schoeneshoefer)
